Maritime News

[nazrey]

Westport continues impressive track record
Published: 2012/09/05
http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_New...cle/index_html

PORT KLANG: Westports Malaysia Sdn Bhd (Westports) is poised to handle about nine million containers of twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) once its new 600-metre wharf is ready by 2014, Chief Executive Officer Ruben Emir Gnanalingam said today.

He said the port hopes to see positive improvements in both performance and productivity, especially in container operations, once the wharf was completed.

"Our current capacity is 7.5 million TEUs and we are confident to handle eight million TEUs easily once our additional 300-metre berth is ready by January next year.

"We're also hoping to achieve nine million TEUs once the 600-metre berth is ready by 2014," he told Bernama after attending the Aidilfitri open house hosted by Westports here today.

Ruben said Westports was confident of handling seven million TEUs this year as compared to 6.4 million TEUs handled last year, mainly due to its cargo volume between Asia and European countries.

He said Westports performance and productivity in contanier operations is very much dependent on the route between Asia and European countries.

Ruben said Westports recorded a growth of about 11 per cent in the first half of this year, making it the only port in Malaysia with double-digit growth.

He said Westports, one of two ports in Port Klang, with about 4,000 employees, needed adequate manpower in container operations.

Ruben said the private terminal operator was working towards attaining the highest level of efficiency and was improving facilities as well as infrastructures to meet customers' needs.

It was reported that Westports handles 64 per cent of the overall container volume at Port Klang, Malaysia's premier port. Bernama

[nazrey]

Westports projects growth in 2013 despite gloomy economy
Posted on 18 November 2012 - 05:37am
http://www.thesundaily.my/news/542956

PORT KLANG (Nov 18, 2012): Westports Malaysia Sdn Bhd, operator of the country's busiest port, still projects growth in its business for next year despite the gloomy global economy.

Its chief executive officer, Ruben Emir Gnanalingam, said despite the global economic crisis and news of the European economy in recession, consumption worldwide was still increasing.

Therefore, he said, Westports' cargo volume was still increasing due to the rising demand especially in India and African and West Asian countries.

"Although the economic outlook is not so good for most of the world, consumption is still increasing and cargoes need to move from the countries that manufacturing them to countries that consume them.

"So there is still a lot of growth," he told Bernama in an interview.

Westports' core business is container operations and its major clients are CMA CGM group, China Shipping and United Arab Shipping Corp.

Ruben Emir said Westports was confident of handling seven million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) of container cargo this year.

"I think we have already hit six million TEUs this week, so with one more million TEUS before year-end, I think we should be almost touching it," he said.

He said last year, Westports handled 6.4 million TEUs and in 2010 it handled 5.5 million TEUs. However, Ruben Emir said, Westports hoped to achieve eight-10 million TEUs once its additional 300m berth and 600m berth were completed by 2014.

"Currently, the port handles about 70 per cent of the overall container volume at Port Klang.

"Westports' businesses are divided into two parts namely, local cargo, handling Malaysian import and export and transhipment cargo on international business," he said.

He said currently the transhipment cargo contributed about 70 per cent to its revenue.

Westports is one of two ports in Port Klang with over 4,000 employees and expects to increase to 4,400 employees by 2014. – Bernama

[nazrey]

Johor Port plans to set up OIMR hub for regional market
Friday November 23, 2012
http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story...&if_height=202



Expanding: Johor Port’s oil and gas berthing facilities. The presence of the
port’s OIMR operations was a step-up from the activities that have been
undertaken on an ad- hoc basis since early 2000.

JOHOR BARU: Johor Port plans to establish a permanent offshore inspection, maintenance and repair centre (OIMR) for the benefit of regional oil and gas industry players.

Its chief executive officer Shahrull Allam Shah Abdul Halim said the presence of the Johor Port OIMR was a step-up from the activities that had been undertaken on an ad-hoc basis at the port since early 2000.

“We intend to establish a dedicated area for the OIMR activity. There will also be a workshop component and special contractor offering the overall OIMR package. It will be like a one-stop centre. “The potential for this service is very wide. The growth (of the industry) is also very rapid. With the right facilities, we are confident, the plan will have a positive impact on company revenue,” he told Bernama.

He said Johor Port had an advantage as it was situated in a strategic location, close to the South China Sea, which is seeing aggressive oil and gas drilling activities.

“Johor Port's location at Pasir Gudang is also strategic as well as safe from the aspect of natural disasters, which is also a factor in making it the OIMR centre of choice in the region,” he added.

Shahrull said Johor Port's efforts through the Johor Port OIMR would also assist Johor and the country in realising the aim of becoming the centre for the oil and gas industry in the region.

“Johor Port's duty-free status will give it an added advantage as clients are free to bring in specific equipment for OIMR activities without being taxed,” he said.

He said the decision to develop the OIMR was part of the overall five-year development and modernisation plan for the multi-purpose port.

Johor Port is reported to be spending RM500mil to implement the five-year development and modernisation plan from 2011.

Shahrull said the focus of the OIMR service to be offered by Johor Port would include inspection, maintenance and repairs of various facilities as well as equipment in the oil and gas industry.

“It will extend to operators of oil rigs as well as its network of ships and supply boats, as well as floating production storage and offloading vessels,” he added.

Singapore has at present an offshore marine centre at Jurong Port which functions as a maintenance centre for off-shore vessels and equipment.

According to Shahrull, about 70% of regional oil and gas related companies undertake OIMR activities using the facilities in Singapore. - Bernama

[nazrey]

Bintulu Port unit to raise RM1.35 billion
By JACK WONG Tuesday December 11, 2012
http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story...6&sec=business



Energy intensive: Press Metal Bhd’s aluminium smelting plant is the
first to start operations in Samalaju Industrial Park.

KUCHING: The Samalaju Industrial Port Sdn Bhd (SIPSB) plans to raise up to RM1.35bil from a share placement and issuance of Islamic securities or sukuk to fund the development of the Samalaju port project in Bintulu.

The company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bintulu Port Holdings Bhd (BPHB).

BPHB chief executive officer Datuk Mior Ahmad Baiti Mior Lub Ahmad said the parent holding was expected to raise RM400mil via the placement of up to 15% of its issued and paid-up capital to its major shareholder(s)/(offerors(s), and up to RM950mil from the issuance of sukuk.

“The proceeds will be used to finance the development of the RM1.8bil Samalaju Port project,” he told StarBiz yesterday.

The RM1.8bil price tag is inclusive of RM300mil investment on port equipment.

The new port is designed to serve especially energy-intensive industries like aluminium smelters in Samalaju Industrial Park for the import of raw materials and exports of finished products.

Press Metal Bhd's aluminium smelting plant was the first to start operations in Samalaju Industrial Park.

SIPSB has appointed Kenanga Investment Bank Bhd as the principal adviser and placement agent for the proposed placement exercise, and proposed exemption for offeror(s) and persons acting in concert from obligation to undertake a takeover for all remaining shares in BPHB not already owned by them.

BPHB has earlier discussed the port project's proposed funding with its three major shareholders Petroliam Nasional Bhd, Sarawak State Financial Secretary and Kumpulan Wang Persaraan (which had 32.79%, 30.68% and 9.52% stakes respectively in BPHB as of March 31).

SIPSB has appointed CIMB Investment Bank Bhd as the principal adviser/lead arranger, lead manager, bookrunner and facility agent for the proposed sukuk issuance.

Mior Ahmad said construction work of the Samalaju Port's interim facilities was underway and expected to be completed by May or June next year.

The facilities include a 300m long berth for barges with a depth of 7m. The barges will be used mainly to transport building materials and equipment for the construction of manfacturing facilities of the industries in Samalaju Industrial Park as well as raw materials for the industries.

The interim port facility package was awarded to Trans Resources Corp Sdn Bhd for nearly RM194mil in June this year.

“Dredging works for the proposed main port will commence in first quarter of next year.

“The construction of the wharf and breakwater is expected to commence in June,” added Mior Ahmad.

Samalaju Port is designed to handle 18 million tonnes of cargo per annum compared with Bintulu Port's current capacity of 16 million tonnes (of non-liquified natural gas cargo) per annum. The new port's capacity can be raised to 30 million tonnes a year if necessary.

Japan’s Tokuyama Corp — the first foreign investor at Samalaju Industrial Park — is setting up a RM2.36 billion plant to produce polycrystalline silicon for solar panels. Production is expected to come on stream next year.
Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2012/01...#ixzz2Ei0vYFZK

South Korean conglomerate to set up metal silicon plant in Samalaju
http://parochialsarawakian.wordpress...lant-samalaju/



A SOUTH Korean conglomerate — Asia Cement Co Ltd — will set up a metal silicon manufacturing plant in Samalaju Industrial Park in Bintulu under the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE).

Samajalu Industrial Port Sdn Bhd expects construction of phase one of the RM1.8 billion Samalaju Port to be completed by the first quarter of 2016.
http://www.dredgingtoday.com/2012/11...samalaju-port/

[nazrey]

Originally Posted by nazrey

D - Eastern Geat Development
Cargo Liquid in Tanjung Langsat, Pasir Gudang, Johor
image hosted on flickr

Energy Infrastructure in Malaysia by Chronovial, on Flickr

Tg Langsat Port build wharves for RM115m
Published: 2012/12/17
http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_New...#ixzz2GDlVVSFz

Two new wharves costing RM115 million being built at the Tanjung Langsat Port Liquid Cargo jetty are slated for completion
in 2014, Johor Corporation President and Chief Executive Kamaruzzaman Abu Kassim said today.

The port's liquid cargo handling capacity would increase to 31 tonnes a year from 24 tonnes currently when the wharves are operational, he said.

The wharves, with 60,000 deadweight tonne (DWT) and 110,000 DWT capacity each, are being built to realise the government's vision to transform south Johor into an oil and gas industry growth hub, he said when opening the Pasir Gudang Emergency Mutual Aid and Tanjung Langsat Port Drill 2012 at Tanjung Langsat Port today.

The text of his speech was read out by Yusof Rahmat, Johor Corporation Vice-President (Real Estate and Business Practices Division).

Speaking at a media conference later, Yusof said the number of ships calling at the port is also expected to increase to 80 a month from 50 at present when the wharves are completed.

He said the number of ships anchoring at Tanjung Langsat Port has increased by 155 per cent from 202 last year to 515 this year, with the number of ships calling at the port to increase to 80 on the average a month by 2014.

The cargo volume is also expected to increase by 104 per cent from 3.4 million metric tonnes last year to seven million metric tonnes and is expected to swell further to at least 15 million metric tonnes, he added.

Earlier, in his speech, Kamaruzzaman said the port operations area has also been expanded by two fold from 202 hectares to 404 hectares to accommodate more oil and gas-based industries.

He said work to deepen the waters in and around Tanjung Langsat Port has also been oompleted. Work started on Oct 29.

"The depth of the navigation channel and the basin at the liquid cargo jetty has been enlarged from 12.8 metres to 15 metres, paving the way for very large crude carriers with a 13-metre draft to safely anchor at the port," he said.

The waters in and around the jetty has also been deepened from eight metres to 10 metres, he said.

Deepening work was completed two months ago, he added. Bernama

[nazrey]

Container handling by Malaysian ports up 2.8pc in 2012
Published: 2013/01/21
http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_New.../hont/Article/

KUALA LUMPUR: Container handling by Malaysian ports showed a growth of 2.82 per cent, or an increase of 569,252 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) last year.

In 2011, Malaysian ports handled 20,209,154 TEUs. Last year, the number went up to 20,778,406 TEUs.

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha in a statement last Saturday said that last year, the container handling continuously showed positive growth, despite the lack of demand from China and the bleak economic environment in Europe.

This success, he added, was due to the strong sustainable economic growth in Malaysia and the strong intra-Asian trade.


"In addition, the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP), launched by the government in strategic areas of the nation, has acted as a catalyst to induce the positive performance of container handling in Malaysian ports," the minister said.

Kong said the proactive measures undertaken by ports in Malaysia to ensure a first-class delivery system through upgrading of port infrastructure and the relationship management with the industrial and trade sectors, has attracted many shipping companies to select Malaysian ports as their port of choice.

He said Port Klang retained its status as the number one container handler in Malaysia.

Last year, Port Klang handled 10 million TEUs in comparison to 9.6 million in 2011, an increase of 4.2 per cent.

The Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP) came in second with the handling of 7.72 million TEUs, compared with 7.5 million in 2011, an increase of 2.9 per cent.

Containerisation International has ranked Port Klang and the PTP as 13th and 17th respectively for 2009 to 2011 based on global performance. Bernama

[nazrey]

Originally Posted by nazrey

Port Klang
Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/hjesamd...th/4770915760/
image hosted on flickr

http://www.malaysialand.com/Agricult...Teluk-Gong.jpg

Westports starts construction of new terminal
Published: 2013/04/30
http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_New...#ixzz2Rw0SkDpO

Westports Malaysia Sdn Bhd expects the first 300-metre berth of its 600 metre Container Terminal 7 (CT7) to be completed in December this year.

The port operator said the remaining 300 metres would be completed by early next year, together with the delivery of seven Quay Cranes and 42 rubber-tyre gantries (RTGs) to support the new facility.

"We have also completed the construction of the last 300 metres of the CT6 in April, taking our total container quay length to 4,000 metres and overall handling capacity to 9.5 million twenty-foot-equivalent units (TEUs).

"This augurs well for our target of handling 7.4 million TEUs in
2013, a growth of seven per cent from to 6.91 million last year," it added in a statement today.

Chief executive officer Ruben Emir Gnanalingam said when the CT7 is ready, it would give the port the capability to handle the 18,000 TEU class vessels.

"The completion of CT7 will take the port's overall container berth length to 4,600 metres, supported by the seven new Quay Cranes which will be the tallest of such in the world, to handle the 18,000 TEU class vessels.

"This additional quay length will increase Westports handling capacity to 11 million TEUs a year," he added.

Ruben said with the berth depth of 17.5 metres, Westports would always stand out as one of the few ports in the world with the deepest berth depth to accommodate the biggest vessels in the world.

Westports Malaysia, the operator of Westports in Port Klang, expects its container volume to grow by 7-8 per cent annually for the next five years.-- Bernama

[patchay]

Sunborn III, The First Luxury Floating Hotel Fully-Built In Southeast Asia Is Now Completed
http://www.sunbornmarine.com/


Bon voyage.


Sunborn, BHIC complete RM463m yacht hotel
The StarBiz | Updated: Friday May 10, 2013 MYT 12:14:37 PM

KUALA LUMPUR: Sunborn Marine (M) Sdn Bhd, the Malaysian affiliate of Finland's Sunborn Group, and Boustead Heavy Industries Corp Bhd (BHIC), have completed the construction of the first luxury floating hotel built in Southeast Asia - the Sunborn III.


The Sunborn III leaving the Boustead Naval Shipyard in Lumut for Europe on Wednesday. It is the first luxury floating hotel built in Southeast Asia.

“We are pleased to have completed the project, which gave Boustead Naval Shipyard Sdn Bhd (BNS) the opportunity to utilise its commercial construction capabilities, but on a much larger scale, given the size of the vessel,” said BHIC executive director David W Berry at the handover ceremony between BHIC's associate BNS and Sunborn Marine (M) Sdn Bhd yesterday.

On Wednesday, the floating hotel left the yard of BNS in Lumut for Europe and is expected to arrive in Gibraltar 25 days later for final preparation works. Yacht hotels are constructed to be completely sea-worthy, but are usually operated permanently moored to prime waterfront locations.

With a whopping RM463mil price tag, the 140 m Sunborn III is a fully self-propelled five-star grand luxury class vessel, boasting seven hotel floors and one service floor, with a total of 189 guest rooms with balconies, including 22 royal suites.

“At the end of the day, it was not only the facilities but also the infrastructure that won us over to Malaysia. We have made absolutely the correct choice,” he said.

Read More:
- http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story...2&sec=business
- http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_New...cle/index_html

Related News:

Sunborn Luxury Yacht Hotel Built in Malaysia Seeks Investors
Bloomberg | By Pooja Thakur - Mar 5, 2013 10:01 AM GMT+0800.

Sunborn International, a Finnish property development and investment company, is seeking investors for its 189-room luxury yacht hotel being built in Malaysia, according to a sales document.

The 140-meter (459-foot) long “Sunborn III,” with 15,500 square meters (167,000 square feet) of floor space spread across seven floors, will be completed this month and Sunborn is seeking to raise 120 million euros ($156 million) from investors, the document seen by Bloomberg News said. The group also owns “Sunborn II,” a decade-old 140-room floating hotel docked off the Finnish coast, according to the company’s website.

Turku, Finland-based Sunborn is turning to Asia as Europe’s economy struggles to emerge from the deepest recession in almost four years. Asia-Pacific millionaires outnumbered those in North America for the first time in 2011, according to the World Wealth Report published by RBC Wealth Management and Capgemini SA in June.

The “Sunborn III” includes a ballroom and banqueting facilities for 360 people, 22 suites, a nightclub and an outdoor infinity pool, according to the document. Xavier Valero, head of international development and legal affairs at Sunborn, declined to comment on the new boat, saying they are always looking for investors.

Super yachts have become the world’s ultimate symbol of wealth and exclusivity, according to the sales document. Floating hotels can be relocated and offer a secure investment that can be moved for economic reasons or political instability.

Read More >>> http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-0...investors.html