PENANG PORT SHOULD BECOME THE NORTHERN REGION’S MAIN HOMEPORT - LOKE

GEORGE TOWN, Jan 12 (Bernama) -- The government wants Penang Port to go beyond being merely a transshipment port, and instead develop its role as the main homeport in the northern region in line with efforts to strengthen the nation’s maritime ecosystem.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the move has the potential to increase port activities, while also expanding the range of maritime services and strengthening local economic spillover effects.

“The transport and maritime sectors are among the main pillars of national development because they not only facilitate international trade, but also act as catalysts for industrial growth and form the backbone of the country’s supply chain connectivity.

“Therefore, the Ministry of Transport is always emphasising the importance of integrated policy planning and infrastructure development to ensure that the national port system remains efficient, competitive and sustainable,” he said in his speech at the launch of the 70th Anniversary of the Penang Port Commission (PPC) here, today.

Also present were State Infrastructure, Transport and Digital committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari and PPC chairman Datuk Yeoh Soon Hin.

Loke said Penang Port plays a strategic role as a key gateway for trade activities, cargo movement, and support for the manufacturing and logistics sectors in the northern region.

He said the port’s ability to operate consistently, safely and in an orderly manner has directly contributed to investor confidence as well as the smooth movement of goods at both domestic and international levels.

In a related development, he said the strong performance of Port Klang and Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP) in terms of cargo handling volumes — along with Port Klang’s recognition as the world’s 10th busiest container port and PTP ranking 15th — serves as an important benchmark for Penang Port to undertake strategic leaps in its operations and services.

In addition, cruise shipping is also seen as a high-potential growth opportunity to be further developed, with the Swettenham Pier Cruise Terminal strategically positioned as the main gateway for cruise vessels in the northern region, having handled more than 700,000 passengers last year.

Meanwhile, Loke said the country’s main transshipment hub is currently PTP, where about 95 per cent of container handling is for transshipment purposes, while Port Klang remains the nation’s primary gateway, with its capacity expected to increase to 28 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) following expansion.

“Thus, Penang Port will continue to receive attention and undergo development to strengthen its role as the gateway for the northern region. This is important because the industrial base in the northern part of the country is significant — Penang is a manufacturing base, and the port also handles substantial cargo volumes linked to southern Thailand,” he said.

The minister added that Penang Port’s current capacity stands at 2.3 million TEUs and is expected to increase to 6.8 million TEUs after expansion. 

The expansion plan spans 30 years until 2053, with 6.8 million TEUs set as the ultimate target capacity, he added.

-- BERNAMA