FROM THE EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN’S DESK

Although a very large volume of cargo handled by Johor Port is generated from the immediate economic hinterland of the Port, namely the sprawling Pasir Gudang Industrial area, the Port’s outreach is now extending to new growth areas in the state.

It is heartening to note that an increasing volume of cargo is now coming from the outer reaches of the Port like Kluang, Batu Pahat, Tampoi and Muar where greater industrialization of the state and the emergence of new growth centers are spawning new sources of cargo for the Port.

The ability of the Port to penetrate such deeper areas is a positive reflection of the competitiveness of the Port. Shippers (from the outlying areas) are increasingly finding Johor Port not only more economical but also able to meet their expectations, including in the availability of a wide range of shipping services linking worldwide ports. A number of world ports are served directly by lines calling Johor Port.

The vastly improved level of services at the Port is also an important factor in the shippers choice of Johor Port. We are handling not only an increasing volume of cargo but we are also turning around vessels faster. The Port on its part has been taking a number of measures to attract the shippers from the new growth centers. One of the recent steps has been the securing of container haulage permits for JP Logistics Sdn Bhd.

Recognising that road haulage services plays a very critical role in the transportation pipeline, we have taken the initiative to serve the shippers directly through our wholly-owned container haulage company.

The haulage service will not only serve to strengthen our link with the shippers but is also expected to bring about significant improvements in operational issue as well as savings in cost and time.

Shippers who have specific type of haulage requirements, unavailable from the other operators, may seek our services. In particular, shippers with low inventory management system may find useful to rely on our services since the response time is considerably short, thus allowing optimal efficiency in the transport pipeline.

The rail link is also an added factor in the increasing outreach of the Port. With regular block train services linking the Port to the national grid, the economic hinterland of the Port has no doubt been considerably widen.

We look forward to continue serving port users with our enhanced level of service.