With a capacity of 21,413 TEUs, MV OOCL Japan became the largest container vessel ever to berth at Northport.
PETALING JAYA: Northport (M) Bhd, part of MMC Group, welcomed MV OOCL Japan on May 20, the largest vessel to berth at its facilities.
MV OOCL Japan, owned by Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL) Limited, has a capacity of 21,413 TEUs, breaking Northport's previous record set by Eugen Maersk in 2013 with a capacity of 11,000 TEUs.
“We are extremely proud to host MV OOCL Japan at Northport. This historic achievement is the result of our ongoing efforts to enhance our facilities and services as part of our ‘Reinventing Northport’ initiative, ensuring that this 61-year-old port remains relevant and competitive.
“The ability to berth such a large vessel demonstrates Northport’s capability and readiness to handle the ever-growing demands of the international maritime trade,” Northport chief executive officer Datuk Azman Shah Mohd Yusof said in a statement.
Northport said MV OOCL Japan's arrival marked a significant advancement from the MV Tokyo Bay, the first container vessel at Northport in Port Klang with a 3,000 TEU capacity, which was called on Aug 5, 1973.
This event signalled the beginning of containerisation in Malaysia. Over the last five decades, Northport has progressively handled larger vessels, culminating in the arrival of MV OOCL Japan.
Northport said the successful berthing of MV OOCL Japan highlighted its advanced infrastructure, featuring state-of-the-art sea-side and land-side terminal facilities designed to accommodate today's largest and most complex container vessels.
Azman said the Red Sea geopolitical issues have disrupted world trade as shipping lines face delays due to rerouting of services.
“This has led to congestion in other major ports in the region. We have received more than 50 ad-hoc calls this year due to our improved productivity and berth-on-arrival value proposition,” he added.
