Port Klang Authority receives ISO 9000

Port Klang Authority received its ISO 9000 Certification on August 12, 2000 from the Chief Secretary to Government, Tan Sri Abdul Halim Ali in conjuction with the KMK 2000 Quality Award presentation ceremony in Malacca. Accepting the award on behalf Port Klang Authority (PKA), Datin O.C Phang said the certification endorsed that PKA's implementation of internationally accepted standards at the Free Commercial Zone. 

The scope of the ISO 9000 covers the management and monitoring of trade activities at the Free Commercial Zone (Northport and Westport) in Port Klang.

"PKA was honoured for its implementation of FCZ-EDI system which dispenses with manual submission of documents to facilitate the movement of cargo into and out of the FCZ area in Port Klang. The move to operate in a paper-less environment offers considerable scope for savings-both in time and cost. There will be improved efficiency and productivity through faster clearance of documentation and cargo," said Datin O.C Phang.

The FCZ-EDI system enables the exchange of electronic messages using the UN/EDIFACT standard. Shipping lines and freight forwarders can make their declarations from their respective offices via the EDI link. 

The declaration for import, re-export, dangerous cargo and transhipment are channeled to PKA where approvals will be generated within 25 minutes (compared with 180 minutes when the manual system was employed). The new system allows the Customs and the terminal operators to be notified automatically.

The system has reduced processing time by 86 per cent and has also reduced manpower requirement. It has lowered operating costs and provided PKA with a real time solution to the monitoring of cargo passing through the Free Commercial Zone.


Northport committed to our service requirement:OOCL

OOCL Malaysia, which was christened by Datin Ena Ling, wife of Dato' Seri Dr Ling Liong Sik, Minister of Transport Malaysia, made her maiden voyage to Klang Container Terminal on August 17, 2000. 

The 5,560 TEUs post-panamax carrier owned by Orient Overseas Container Line handled 1,375 TEUs on her maiden call at Port Klang. 

Speaking at the event, the Managing Director of OOCL (Asia Pacific) Ltd, Jim Poon said the threshold volume at Port Klang had short-up dramatically over the period from less than 500 TEUs to well above 1,300 TEUs. 

"This is why our New Grand Alliance members comprising Malaysia International Shipping Corporation Bhd, Nippon Yusen Kaisha Line, Orient Overseas Container Line, Hapag Lloyd and P& O Nedlloyd agreed to mount two additional Westbound services to Europe from Port Klang," he said. 

"The expansion of our service clearly shows Port Klang is a fast growing regional transhipment hub and remains as an important port of call in this region," he said.

He added Northport provided an excellent base for OOCL's operation. 

"Their efficiency and reliable services have contributed to our growth from three services in 1997, when our own agency - OOCL Malaysia Sdn Bhd set up - to 20 service weekly to and from Port Klang. Of these 15 services are direct connections to various ports in North America, Europe, Asia, Australia/New Zealand, Mediterranean, the Indian Subcontinent and West Asia. In addition, we also have five services with slot sharing arrangement with various carriers," said Jim Poon.

"It is worth noting that we are also the single largest liner operator to provide the most number of strings at Port Klang. We realise there is huge potential at Port Klang as the transhipment traffic has increased to more than 100,000 TEUs per month," he said.

Jim Phoon added the fast-expanding transhipment cargo at Port Klang provide greater avenue for OOCL to further expand its network from Port Klang. 

"With the expanded and extensive network we will attract more regional transhipment traffic from Indonesian Ports and Indian sub-continent to be relayed at Port Klang. That is why I look Malaysia as a place for investment and Port Klang as a strategically located port to serve a growing region as a transhipment hub," said Jim Poon. 

To support OOCL's increased number of services, the line has started a regular weekly block train service to tranship Thailand traffic at Port Klang. 

The international landbridge service makes transportation of containers more economical and accessible and also encourages at the growth of transhipment activities at Port Klang.