PETALING JAYA: MMC Corp Bhd’s unit Northport (Malaysia) Bhd recorded its highest ever monthly throughput for the port’s conventional cargo business segment in May, handling 1.02 million freight weight tonnes (FWTs), surpassing its previous record of 968,356 FWTs in August 2013.
Northport CEO Datuk Azman Shah Mohd Yusof attributed the record high throughput to the company’s transformation efforts in its conventional cargo operations.
“We have undertaken various measures to improve our operational efficiency at both our terminals – Northport and Southpoint – including optimisation of storage space and facilities, equipment rationalisation, renegotiation of contract with vendors, process improvement through system automation and digitalisation, data mining and analytics as well as promoting transformation through talent development and behavioral competencies among our employees.
“All these measures have helped us to sail through choppy waters especially with the operational difficulties, manpower issues and challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic,” he said in a statement today.
For the first five months of 2021, Northport handled a total of 4.1 million FWTs of conventional cargo, a growth of 32% against the same period last year. The most significant contributors for the higher throughput were palm oil, grain and iron, and steel products which registered sharp growths of 80%, 61% and 29% respectively against the previous year.
The higher conventional cargo volume handled by Northport was contributed by the successful handling of bigger dry bulk vessels at its terminal.
“Northport is now able to offer vessel productivity of 10,000 deadweight tonnage (DWT) per weather working day due to its improvement in processes and productivity. Consequently, 12 vessels with more than 80,000 DWT displacement have berthed at Northport since July last year.”
He added that the company would centralise its container operations within one terminal and make space for conventional cargo business to grow in the other terminal.
“This will further improve our cargo handling productivity and create space for the construction of new facilities which will allow us to offer better productivity.”
Meanwhile, the Biomass Logistics Hub operation in Northport’s other terminal, Southpoint recorded a total throughput of 169,281 tonnes since January this year, an increase of 91% against the same period in 2020. A total area of 300,200 sq ft comprising both open yard and covered warehouses is currently tenanted by biomass industry players in Southpoint. Southpoint is also expected to see an increase in liquid cargo throughput with new tank capacity build-up in progress.
