Malaysia News

Trelleborg Supplies Langkawi Jetty for Upgrade

After over a decade of facilitating the successful berthing of visiting cruise ships, Trelleborg’s marine and infrastructure operation has replaced its existing fenders, installed in 1997, at Star Cruises Langkawi Jetty, with its high performance Super Cone Fenders (SCN).Located on the south coast of Langkawi, some 30 kilometers off the mainland coast of north-western Malaysia, the jetty berths approximately 100 vessels per year. Following 15 years of successful operation, Star…

GAC Mulls Expansion

The shipping & logistics company GAC is tapping into the growing contract logistics business potential of the Asia Pacific, Indian Subcontinent and Middle East, with plans to further develop and expand in its operations in the regions.That was the message Lars Bergström, GAC’s Group Vice President for Asia Pacific & Indian Subcontinent, had for the Group’s Contract Logistics Solutions experts who gathered in Colombo, Sri Lanka, to chart GAC’s strategy to increase its share of the business in their regions.

APL Unveils New Japan Malaysia Vietnam Service

APL, part of the CMA CGM Group, has announced the launch of the Japan Malaysia Vietnam (JMV) service that will provide weekly connectivity between North Asia and Southeast Asia.The JMV service will offer one of the most comprehensive North Asian market coverage comprising five Japanese main ports as well as Hong Kong, Shekou and Taiwan. Shippers from Kanto and Kansai regions will also find an alternative access to Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam via the JMV service and vice versa.The…

Bumi Armada Profit Up 28.5% in Q1

Malaysia's offshore oilfield services firm Bumi Armada announced that its first-quarter net profit jumped 28.5% on-year, mainly thanks to joint ventures, lower cost of sales, and lower distribution costs.Net profit for the January-March period climbed to 62.21 million ringgit ($14.86 million), compared with a 48.42 million in the same quarter a year ago, said a stock exchange announcement.However, its revenue fell by 18.1% to RM491.61mil from RM600.34mil a year ago. The compay…

'ReCAAPing' April's Asian Piracy, Sea Robbery SITREP

Appended are highlights of the piracy and sea robbery situation in Asia in April 2019.

Tanjung Bruas Receives Container Ships

Malaysia's Tanjung Bruas Port (TBP), a member of MMC Group, announced that it now offers container ships services at its Tanjung Bruas Port terminal.TBP recently welcomed the MV West Scent, the first Container vessel to ever call its terminal at Tanjung Bruas Port. The 145.68 meters long MV West Scent came alongside on 18 April 2019 with an exchange of 1,150 move counts.The specially chartered Container vessel by manufacturer Xinyi Glass Manufacturing Sdn Bhd, is currently at TBP berth and will depart to Humen Port, China after completing its cargo operations.

Johor Port, Petronas LNG Sign Services Pact

Johor Port Berhad has signed an agreement with Petronas LNG Ltd. to provide marine services for vessels that receive gassing up and cooling down (GUCD) services at PLL’s Regasification Terminal Pengerang.According to a press release from integrated multi-purpose port facility located at the southern tip of Peninsular Malaysia, the signing of the Marine Services Agreement by Johor Port Bhd and PPL enables the provisioning of marine services and attractive tariff for vessels that…

Demand for Box Shipping of Soybeans to Asia Grows

Countries in Asia, led by Indonesia, are increasingly relying on shipping containers to transport their purchases of U.S. soybeans, according to an analysis of federal data released by the Illinois Soybean Association (ISA).The number of soybeans shipped in containers to Asian countries has grown 40 percent since the 2014-2015 crop marketing year, from 2 million metric tons to 2.8 million metric tons. Indonesia is the top buyer of container shipments of soybeans at about 1.4 million metric tons…

Malaysia Ratifies FAL Convention

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) treaty enhancing communication between ships and ports to help shipments move more quickly, more easily and more efficiently has been ratified by Malaysia.According to the UN body, this brings the number of contracting States to the Convention on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic (FAL Convention) to 123.Captain Haji Samad, Alternate Permanent Representative of Malaysia to IMO, met IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim at IMO Headquarters…

World’s Largest STS Transfer Hub Comes in Malaysia

KA Petra, a Malaysian ship-to-ship (STS) transfer specialist, has signed a Heads of Agreement (HOA) with Hutchison Port Holdings to jointly develop the world’s largest STS transfer hub in the country.Under the terms of the HOA, KA Petra will have 70% interest in the project, whilst Hutchison Ports will take a strategic 30% stake.Based on preliminary studies, construction of the STS Hub is estimated to cost USD150 million to USD180 million, and will be funded by a combination of internally generated funds and debt financing.

Rhenus Acquires World Net Logistics

European logistics provider Rhenus Group has acquired South African freight forwarding and logistics specialist World Net Logistics (WNL).The takeover of the Johannesburg-headquartered firm WNL is still subject to approval by the relevant cartel authorities.In addition to having a dense network of business sites in South Africa, WNL also has several branches and partners in Asia and Germany.The acquisition by Germany’s Rhenus Group is the latest in a string of purchases around the world in the last few months alone…

Wan Hai Lines Enhances Japan Services

Taiwanese shipping company Wan Hai Lines announced the enhancement of its Japan service coverage.With effect from early April 2019, the company shall upgrade its existing New Super 1 service and also extend one of its existing Japan Kanto service to cover Malaysia, the provider of full-containerized shipping service said in a press note.Upgrade existing New Super 1 service(NS1) to Panamax vessel size: The service will maintain 4 vessel deployment with WHL deploying 2 x 4250Teu vessels, while IAL and OOCL deploys 1 vessel each.

ReCAAP Asia Piracy, Sea Robbery Report

Piracy and Sea Robbery Situation in Asia in February 2019A total of three incidents of armed robbery against ships were reported in Asia in February 2019There was no report of abduction of crew in the Sulu-Celebes Seas and waters off Eastern SabahThere was no report of hijacking of ships for theft of oil cargoHowever, the abduction of crew for ransom in the Sulu-Celebes Seas and waters off Eastern Sabah remains a serious concernOf the three incidents reported in February 2019, one incident occurred on board ship anchored at Caofeidian anchorage in China, one incident on board ship anchored at

APL: New Asia Australia Express 2

APL launched a new weekly Asia Australia Express 2 (AAX2) service that will connect the key Southeast Asian ports of Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia to the two major eastern Australian cities of Brisbane and Sydney.The AAX2 service is poised to be the only service in the market with a direct call from Ho Chi Minh to Australia. Promising the industry’s fastest transit time, an AAX2 shipment from Ho Chi Minh to Brisbane and Sydney will take just 16 days and 18 days respectively.

INTERCARGO Advisory on Cargo Liquefaction Dangers

Cargo liquefaction continues to be a major risk for dry bulk shipping.INTERCARGO welcomes the latest amendment to the International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargoes Code (IMSBC 04-17) which entered into force on 1st January 2019 and includes important updates related to cargoes that may liquefy. Pertinent updates include: changes to section 4.5 of the Code which stipulates the shippers’ responsibility to ensure that the testing and sampling for Transportable Moisture Limit (TML) and moisture content is carried out at the correct intervals…

Yang Ming Announces New Intra-Asia Service

Taiwanese ocean shipping company Yang Ming Marine Transport Corporation announced a new Intra-Asia service KVM(Korea–Vietnam–Malaysia Service) jointly operated by YM and APL Co. Pte Ltd through its CNC brand with effect on February 21st, 2019.The service will be operated with three 1,800-TEU container vessels, one by YM and two by APL Co. Ptd Ltd via its CNC brand.The full port rotation will be Kwangyang, Pusan, Kaohsiung, Ho Chi Minh, Port Kelang, Singapore, Haiphong, Kaohsiung, Kwangyang.

Yang Ming Launches New China-Malaysia Direct Service

Taiwanese ocean shipping company Yang Ming Marine Transport Corp. (YM) has announced the launch of CMS service (China-Malaysia service) with effect on February 23rd, 2019 (estimated time of berth from Qingdao).The service is jointly operated by Yang Ming, Gold Star Line Ltd.(GSL), T.S. Lines Co., Ltd (TSL) and CNC, a brand of APL Co. Pte Ltd. Each carrier will deploy a container vessel of nominal 4,250 TEU capacity, said a statement from the marine transportation company.The ports of call are Qingdao…

Global Piracy Up in 2018, Gulf of Guinea Leads

Piracy increased on the world’s seas in 2018, with a marked rise in attacks against ships and crews around West Africa, the International Chamber of Commerce’s International Maritime Bureau’s (IMB) latest annual piracy report reveals.Worldwide, the IMB Piracy Reporting Centre (PRC) recorded 201 incidents of maritime piracy and armed robbery in 2018, up from 180 in 2017.The Gulf of Guinea remains increasingly dangerous for seafarers. Reports of attacks in waters between the Ivory Coast and the Democratic Republic of Congo more than doubled in 2018…

Kalmar to Deliver 41 Terminal Tractors to Malaysia

Kalmar, part of Cargotec, has signed a contract with SPT Services Sdn Bhd, for an order of 41 units of Kalmar TL2 Terminal Tractors. The order was booked into Cargotec's 2018 fourth quarter order intake and scheduled for delivery in December of 2018.SPT Services Sdn Bhd is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Johor Port Berhad. The 41 units of TL2 terminal tractors will be delivered to the Solid Product Jetty (SPJ) located in Pengerang Johor, Malaysia. The semi-trailers will move containers…

Petronas Wants Malaysia to be Regional LNG Bunkering Hub

Malaysian oil and gas company Petronas plans to introduce liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering operations at the country from the second half of 2019.“As a major player in the LNG business, PETRONAS is well-positioned to support the strategic intent for Malaysia to become the regional LNG bunkering hub,” it said in the Petronas Activity Outlook 2019-2021 report."Efforts are now being put in place towards advocating LNG as the preferred marine fuel of choice. In close collaboration with industry associations like MOSVA…

Nitin Gadkari Flags Off First Container Vessel at Tuticorin

Indian Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari Wednesday flagged off the maiden container mainline vessel at VoC Port (Tuticorin Port), opening direct shipping route to eastern countries.Calling the step a "gamechanger in container traffic of South India", Gadkari said that Tuticorin has the potential to become a "major industrial hub".At present containers from Tuticorin to Far East countries viz Malaysia, Singapore, China and Hong Kong are transited by the feeder vessels to Colombo where they are further connected to the mother vessel .With Mainline call being done directly at Tuticorin…

Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipyard Delivers World's First iVLOC

The world’s first intelligent very large ore carrier (iVLOC), the DNV GL-classed Pacific Vision, was delivered by Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipyard to China Merchants Energy Shipping Company.Norway-headquartered international accredited registrar and classification society said in a statement that the vessel is the world’s first VLOC to implement DNV GL’s SmartShip descriptive notation.To qualify for the notation, Pacific Vision has been outfitted with an integration platform, a smart navigation decision support system…

Singapore Hosts ASEAN Ports Association Meeting

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) has hosted the 44th ASEAN Ports Association (APA) Meeting on 27 and 28 November 2018. The annual meeting was officially opened by the Chairman of MPA, Niam Chiang Meng, at the Conrad Centennial Hotel.About 100 key port executives and decision-makers from the nine member nations of the APA  attended the event, which serves as a platform for ASEAN ports to cooperate in areas such as port development, operations and management.The nine member nations of the APA are Brunei Darussalam…

Sapura Energy Wins Contracts in Mexico, Malaysia

Malaysia-based integrated oil and gas services Sapura Energy Berhad has strengthened its presence in Mexico and Malaysia with new contract wins valued at approximately RM1.75 billion (USD 410 mln).The new contracts have lifted the company’s orderbook to RM18 billion and total contract wins to-date for this financial year to RM7 billion (USD 1.68 bln).Sapura Energy has built capabilities and expertise that are critical to support its clients in their quest to meet global energy demand and as a result…

World’s Biggest Container Ship on Maiden Call at Westports

The world’s biggest container ship, OOCL United Kingdom, made her maiden call at Malaysia's Westports in Port Klang on her way to China.The OOCL United Kingdom, with a carrying capacity of 21,413 TEUs, is one of the carrier’s six ‘G Class’ vessels and they are currently the world’s largest container ship.The vessel berthed at Container Terminal 8, Westports new container wharf that was completed in 2017.Westports has earmarked nine high-performance ship-to-shore cranes to handle OOCL United Kingdom’s containers.

NZ Harbour Welcomes its Largest Container Ship

The largest Port in the South Island of New Zealand, Lyttelton Port, has welcomed its largest ever container ship.The Singapore–flagged Rio de Janeiro, which can carry nearly 6000 containers and is the length of about three rugby fields, arrived early Saturday.Lyttelton Port Company (LPC) Chief Executive, Peter Davie said, “The Rio de Janeiro is a new class of ship to call at Lyttelton. She can carry 5,905 twenty-foot equivalent containers (TEUs), while the largest container vessels currently visiting Lyttelton commonly carry 4…