WESTPORT, on target to hitting 2.1mil boxes this year, will further maximise its container handling and storage capacity with the completion of its RM67.5 mil container three (CT3) yard area by next month.

The project, which includes the construction of a new container stacking yard, a container freight station (CFS) and a maintenance and repair block will put the port in good position to handle the anticipated box traffic growth.

Already, zones F, G and H, have been completed and is currently being used, providing an additional 4,326 ground slots and 240 reefer points, said Westport senior manager, engineering Ahmad Damanhury Ibrahim.

"With a stacking of four containers high, the CT3 yard alone will be able to accommodate 16,584 TEUs. This is in addition to the already existing 2,760 total ground slots in container Terminal 1 and 4,842 slots in container Terminal 2, with another 288 reefer slots," he said.

Ahmad Damanhury said zones G and H were completed in September while the third package, which consist of a CFS and a maintenance and repair (M&R) building was due to be ready next month.

He said the 3,000 sq m station, which was located at the back of the new CT3, would have nine loading bays and allow users carry out stuffing, un-stuffing and re-packaging activities.

"This is Westport's fourth CFS. The new M&R workshop is designed to conduct repair for rubber-tyred gantries, top loaders and reach stackers."

The terminal also recently installed CCTVs around the container yard areas to ensure productivity of stacking operations and security of boxes at all times.

The CT3 project, which included the construction of an additional 600m wharf length completed in March last year, began in November 1999 and funding was from the RM310mil government loan granted to Westport under the Eighth Malaysia Plan.

It is learnt that Westport is in the process of negotiating terms with the Treasury Department for another soft loan for the construction of another 2.5km of container wharf length.

The terminal now has an existing 2km container quay length with six berths and 18 super-post panamax gantry cranes, of which will be increased to reach 20 by year end.

According to Ahmad Damanhury, the design plans for the new container wharf was already in the advanced stages and the port would start calling for tenders when approval from the authorities were given.

"When completed, the new berths would be able to accommodate vessels of the 10,000 TEU capacity with dead weight of 120,000 tonnes compared to the current wharves that can take in seventh and eight generation container ships of 80,000 deadweight tonnes. If all goes well, we hope to start construction by early next year."

Ahmad Damanhury said the lengthening container throughput to 1.7mil TEUs for the nine months of the year compared to 1.15mil boxes the same period last year.

Out of the 1.7 mil boxes, transhipment traffic accounted for 1.06mil TEUs, the remainder comprising import/export movement. From January to October last year, transhipment recorded was 644,726 TEUs.

These volumes further strengthened Westport's position as a regional transhipment hub. Total container throughput for October was also the highest monthly volume with 190,025 TEUs handled.

Currently, Westport holds a 56% market share of Port Klang's total transhipment volume and is fast reaching 45% market share of container traffic in Port Klang.

In terms on conventional cargo, it handled 6.3mil freight weight tonnes from January to September this year compared to 5.3mil fwt the same period last year.

In a related development, more than 100 forwarding firms and 200 agents have been issued with Westport's smart card security system, which became partly operational on Oct 31.

The smart card is being used by hauliers and forwarders to identify themselves at the port before cargo can be cleared.

Operations and security of the terminal is expected to improve by verification and checking of the necessary documents.