KOTA KINABALU: Two areas in Likas Bay here have been identified as temporary sites to increase storage space amid severe congestion at the Sepangar Bay Container Port (SBCP).
Its managing director Datuk Ng Kiat Min said SBCP was working with the Sabah government to overcome the backlog caused by the congestion, amid threats by shipping lines to impose surcharges.
“The government through the Sabah Ports Authority (SPA) has offered assistance by providing 2.5ha of land at Tanjung Lipat, Likas for temporary use in RoRo (roll-on/roll-off) operations as an interim measure to mitigate current constraints," she said in a statement on Monday (July 15).
Ng said state Industrial Development and Entrepreneurship Minister Datik Phoong Jin Tze visited the port recently and also offered a site next to the Sabah Trade Centre as an option.
"Our key focus is to improve ship turnaround time and free up yard space by streamlining container handling processes.
"This includes optimising the yard to better position import and export containers for faster discharge, bringing in extra manpower to increase productivity, and temporarily relocating RoRo services back to Kota Kinabalu Port to allocate more berth space at Sepangar Bay port," Ng said.
She attributed the congestion to SBCPO's unprecedented growth, which included a record high cargo volume handled in May and double-digit growth year-to-date.
She said the SBCP yard also faced space limitations.
"Our immediate goal is to address the current vessel backlog. To date, we have cleared all the vessels waiting at anchor before those that arrived in the last few days.
"Vessels arriving subsequently will be managed within the appropriate wait times," she added.
She said the constraints were compounded by unsynchronised operating hours of third-party warehouses or depots.
"While the port operates 24 hours a day, some containers cannot be cleared in time (as) cargo owners and warehouses do not operate beyond regular working hours.
"This results in more containers stored at the port, especially after public holidays," She added.
Ng said Phoong had agreed to lead talks involving the port, traders and logistics providers to collaborate on sorting out the issues.
