Container growth seen contained

Ruben: ‘As for CMA CGM, we expect some volume to go to Singapore but Westports is still going to be one of its hubs in the region.’

Westports Holdings Bhd is projecting a conservative container growth outlook of between 1% and 5% this year due to the uncertainty of the shift in key shipping alliances, according to its chief executive officer Ruben Emir Gnanalingam.

For comparison, Westports recorded a 10% volume growth to 9.95 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in 2016 but for this year it will be a game changer for the terminal located in Port Klang as two of its major customers, namely French liner CMA CGM and United Arab Shipping Company (UASC), are members of a new alliance.