KUALA LUMPUR – Port Klang Authority and Westports Holdings Bhd will evaluate the ramifications of prohibiting Israeli cargo shipping operator Zim Integrated Shipping Services Ltd vessels from docking in Port Klang following Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s directive yesterday.
Port Klang Authority general manager K. Subramanian said the authority is examining the impact on Port Klang’s operations and will notify the media as soon as possible.
Anwar yesterday announced that local ports will no longer accept ships with the Israeli flag to dock in the country, as well as prohibit any ship en route to Israel from loading cargo at Malaysian ports with immediate effect.
He is confident that the decision will not affect the country’s trade activities.
Subsequently, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said an Israeli-linked vessel which was scheduled to arrive at Port Klang on December 26 will be turned away.
Loke added that the Port Klang Authority has been directed to assist logistics businesses, importers, exporters and ships carrying affected cargoes.
When contacted, Westports officials said the port operator will follow the government’s directive to restrict Zim vessels and will consult with port authorities on the issue.
“So far, no meeting has been called because the decision was sudden, but we believe there will be an engagement between the operators and the authorities soon,” he told Bernama.
Port Klang is a town and the principal seaport for Malaysia.
It is also one of the busiest shipping routes in the world, with an annual throughput of 235.34 million tonnes in 2022, making it the second busiest port in Southeast Asia after Singapore, and ranked 28th internationally.
Containers, bulk cargo, breakbulk freight, and liquid cargo are among the cargoes handled at Port Klang. It is also a key transhipment hub for the region, which means it handles cargo that is not bound for Malaysia but is being transported to other ports. – December 21, 2023