No room for expansion at KK Port
Published on: Tuesday, October 17, 2017
Kota Kinabalu: Managing Director of Sabah Ports Sdn Bhd (SPSB), Ng Kiat Min, touching on future plans to relocate general cargo at Kota Kinabalu Port to Sapangar Bay, lamented that currently, KK Port is operating on limited land space as partial area has been overtaken for the City's development projects. This, she pointed out, poses a challenge for KK port as it is the receiving point for most of the State's industrial and construction cargo as well as being a Roll-on/Roll-off (RORO or ro-ro) hub. "Nevertheless, there is a bigger and brighter picture ahead of us. With the relocation of general cargo to Sapangar, Sabah Ports' plan to create an integrated linkage of containers, liquid and general cargo will finally materialise."
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SPSB is a 100pc-owned subsidiary of Suria Capital Holdings Bhd which has been listed on the Main Board of Bursa Malaysia since 1996. The State Government has 51pc stake in Suria. The Sabah Ports Operations previously within the jurisdiction of the Sabah Ports Authority (SPA) were transferred over to SPSB since 2004 via a privatisation exercise.SPSB as the ports operator works hand in hand with SPA who is the regulator cum land lord. Since taking over the port operation from SPA in 2004, Sabah Ports has continuously strived to improve port performance and develop the State's port industry.
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While conceding that Sabah Ports has made substantial progress, Ng asserted that it will continue to pursue the vision of being the ports of preference, especially in the BIMP-EAGA."With this aspiration, there is a need for us, as a port, to innovate within and build resilience against threats and competition. As much as we try to provide the best service for our customers, we are only able to do that by ensuring we can provide value.
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"As Sapangar Bay Container Port (SBCP) positions itself to be a transhipment hub, we have also invested in significant upgrades to our operational systems and overall yard planning," she said.According to the SPSB Managing Director, they have embarked upon a major IT upgrade at SBCP, being the first among our container port line-up to be fitted with the Autostore Terminal Operating System (TOS). The TOS is an integrated, total tracking system for container movement inside the port and provides customers with access to real time tracking of containers. "This upgrade is expected to enhance the handling process by speeding up locating and transferring of containers. We are still exploring the full capabilities of the TOS system, and phase by phase, we shall add on more functions such as the vehicle booking system and electronic data interchange (EDI) to provide customers with flexible solutions for their business."SBCP's fleet of machinery has also been further strengthened with the delivery of eight prime movers, four electronic RTGs and two Quay cranes. Despite SBCP's best efforts, Ng acknowledged its limitations, saying the insufficient yard space is an issue and congestion at berth still occurs from time to time. "We will continue to work hard to offer solutions to our customers and minimise disruptions. Please bear with us as SPSB is committed to delivering its obligation as a service provider."Geographically, Sabah is well-positioned for regional shipping due to its proximity to North Asian countries and relatively focal location among the countries of Brunei, Indonesia and Philippines.Therefore, she said, Sabah has a high potential of becoming the cargo gateway for East Malaysia and the larger Brunei Indonesia -Malaysia-Philippines East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA).But then, Sabah remains unattractive for foreign investment in its economic and industrial development. Why? Ng attributed this phenomenon to the high cost of doing business caused mainly by the lack of direct shipping line calls. "Needless to say, Sabah Ports plays an important role in supporting the State's economy as shipping is the main means of transporting import and export commodities and various goods to and from the State."As the gateway for trade, it is important for Sabah Ports to have the strong support of the government and the industry. It is in the ports' best interest to forge co-operations and friendships as well as comply with the rules set by relevant authorities. Mutual respect for each other is important to ensure we achieve our common goal, which is to make a contribution to the State's economic wellbeing," she explained."As a port operator, we see the ports being more than a mere transit point for cargo. We play a role towards supporting the State's economic ambition by involving ourselves in platforms that promote manufacturing and industrial growth and more importantly, facilitating connectivity for local businesses to go global."The occasion was dedicated to Sabah Ports' west coast ports' top customers, business partners as well as agencies and associations who are important to SPSB. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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