WESTPORT Malaysia expects revenue to exceed RM500 million this year, about RM60 million more than in 2003, helped primarily by Malaysia’s robust export growth.

Last year, the port recorded a revenue of RM440 million and a net profit of RM90 million. Westport executive chairman Tan Sri G. Gnanalingam said the port expects to handle some three million container boxes next year, a 15.4 per cent increase from the 2.6 million boxes it handled so far this year.

“Westport aims to surpass five million TEUs (20-foot equivalent units) by 2008,” Gnanalingam said. He was speaking at Westport’s 10th anniversary yesterday, an event also attended by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

“We will continue to assist Port Klang in improving its position from the world’s 12th largest port currently. For the past decade, Port Klang has grown more than threefold from handling 1.5 million TEUs to 5.2 million TEUs currently, of which 50 per cent of the volume handled are transshipments.

Port Klang aims to record an annual throughput of 8.4 million TEUs by 2010.

Spanning 480ha on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia, Westport constitutes one half of Port Klang. The other half is made up of Northport operated by Northport (Malaysia) Bhd, a multipurpose port offering 5km of quayline.

With a staff of about 2,200, Westport operates seven container berths with a quayline of more than 3km, capable of accommodating five mother ships and three small ships. It aims to double its quayline to 6km by 2010.

Westport is operated by Kelang Multi Terminal Sdn Bhd and is among the world’s top 5 in productivity. Today, 35 shipping lines call on the port, including China Shipping Container Lines, Evergreen Marine, Norasia, Gold Star, Hanjin, CMA and CGM.

In terms of productivity, Westport has registered a record gross crane productivity of 30 moves per hour which is higher than the industry average (including the Port Singapore Authority) of 25 crane moves per hour.

The port operator has allocated RM300 million to buy four twin lift quay cranes and eight rubber-tyred gantry cranes and 25 prime movers (trucks).

-NST,15.12.2004