PETALING JAYA: Westports Holdings Bhd
has guided for another record year in container throughput, following a record nine-month (9M26) financial performance.
In its latest results filing, the port operator said it now expects overall container throughput to be “at least the same as the previous year”, compared with its guidance of “roughly the same as the previous year” a quarter ago.
Westports handled a record 11.33 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in 2025.
“But, fast-evolving conditions could still materially affect the volume outlook,” it noted.
Westports said a notable change since the previous quarter was the upward shift in global interest rates as inflationary pressures intensified following a spike in energy prices.
“Nevertheless, consumption propensity has remained resilient despite such headwinds, as technology-related investments have supported economic development and growth optimism,” it said.
The group said its transhipment volumes reflect how shipping lines are adapting to changing regional supply chains, while gateway volumes are driven by domestic demand for containerised goods.
For the third quarter ended Sept 30, 2026 (3Q26), Westports posted a 26.4% increase in net profit to RM342.56mil from RM271.11mil a year earlier, while revenue rose 42.1% to RM1.07bil from RM751.99mil previously.
Excluding construction revenue of RM270.72mil, operational revenue increased 19.6% year-on-year to RM797.67mil.
Westports said this was mainly driven by higher port tariffs and stronger value-added services revenue.
The group also attributed its improved profitability primarily to higher gross profit from stronger revenue.
For 9M26, Westports’ net profit surged 42% to RM1.03bil from RM725.2mil in the corresponding period last year.
Revenue for the period under review climbed 37.2% to RM2.83bil from RM2.06bil in 9M25, while earnings per share rose to 30 sen from 21.19 sen previously. No dividend was declared for 3Q26, similar to the corresponding quarter last year, keeping total dividends for 9M26 at 14.98 sen per share, compared with 9.93 sen in 9M25.
Meanwhile, on its expansion plans, Westports said dredging and land reclamation works for eight new container terminals (CT), CT10 to CT17, began in 2025 and are expected to take approximately four years to complete.
“The first terminal, CT10, is expected to be ready by the year 2028,” it said.
Under a supplemental privatisation agreement signed with the government and Port Klang Authority (PKA) in December 2023, Westports’ concession period was extended to Aug 31, 2070, covering CT10 to CT13.
“Upon completing the acquisition of the third parcel of underwater land from the Selangor state government and transferring the land to PKA by Aug 31 2045 for the development of CT14 to CT17, the concession period will be extended from Sept 1, 2070 to Aug 31, 2082,” it said.
