Sepangar early next year

Malaysia’s M$400M(US$116M) Sepangar Port in Kota Kinablu began operations on June 1, but is still having teething problems. Operator Sabah Ports has urged users to be patient.

The Port of Kota Kinabalu has lifted productivity by using Kalmar shuttle carriers to manage a quayside buffer stack between terminal tractors and its new harbour mobile cranes.

Sabah Ports Sdn Bhd has been revealed as the Malaysian port to order seven 1 over 1, 40 ton SWL Shuttle Carriers from Kalmar Industries (see WorldCargo News August 2005, p26). The order from Sabah also comprises four reach stackers, nine 5-high ECH mast trucks and 26 terminal tractors for its facility at Kota Kinabalu.

Gottwald Port Technology has received its first order for harbour mobile cranes from Thailand – two 100 tonne HMK 260 Es have been ordered by the Ngow Hock Group, for operation by Thai Prosperity Terminal Co Ltd (TPT) at its private wharf on the Chao Phraya River, Bangkok. Customers here include Regional Container Lines, which belongs to Ngow Hock.

Malaysia’s Tanjung Pelepas claimed a world record for berth productivity earlier this month when it recorded 340 gross berth moves per hour while handling the Maersk Sealand vessel A P MOLLER. Eight superpost-Panamax cranes were used to exchange 4,316 containers in just under 13 hours. This, claimed PTP, beat the previous world record of 336 gross berth moves per hour set in 2001.