Malaysian Ports Handle 4.8 Million TEUs Containers In First Quarter

KUALA LUMPUR, April 26 (Bernama) -- Malaysian ports handled 4,785,818 TEUs (20-foot equivalent units) containers in the first quarter of 2011, an increase of 12.7 per cent over the 4,246,395 TEUs recorded in the first quarter of 2010, Transport Minister Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha said Tuesday.
 
Cumulatively, nine ports posted positive growth of between two and 18 per cent, with Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP) recording the biggest growth of 18 per cent in container traffic, he said in a statement today.
 
Port Klang, Northport and Westports solidified their position as the largest container ports in the country, with container throughput rising by 11.6 per cent to 2,259,983 TEUs.
 
Kuantan Port and Bintulu Port however recorded a decline in the quarter reviewed, down by 2.8 per cent and 16.5 per cent, respectively.
 
Transshipment traffic in the first quarter increased by 19 per cent to 3,234,069 TEUs while import grew by four per cent to 764,855 TEUs from 732,634 TEUs previosly.