KLANG: Port Klang Authority (PKA) launched the Malaysia Maritime Single Window (MMSW) to further strengthen the nation's maritime industry on Monday (Feb 17).
Transport Minister Anthony Loke launched the system at PKA's Chinese New Year open house, which also celebrated the port's super high container volume of 14.64 TEUs for 2024.
The MMSW is a digital system which provides a unified platform that streamlines and digitalises port clearance procedures as well as improves transparency and cost efficiency while expediting cargo movement.
In his speech, Loke said the development of the MMSW system was approved by the Cabinet in 2023 to meet with the needs of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) which required all ports involved in international trade to use the maritime single window system as a central system as of January 2024.
"The development of the MMSW system is to meet the mandatory needs of the Convention Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic 1965, with the IMO making it compulsory for its member countries to develop a maritime single window system to enable the exchange of information between vessels and port facilities to be carried out as an electronic transaction to simplify and refine trade and maritime transportation matters,’’ said Loke.
He added the PKA was given the trust and appointed by the Transport Ministry to manage the MMSW development implementation on behalf of the government.
“Based on the statistics recorded by the MMSW system, 10,682 ships have used it for all arrival and departure processes in ports throughout Malaysia from June 1, 2024 to Dec 31, 2024.
“The numbers will continue to increase together with the involvement of ports and private jetties nationwide from time to time,’’ said Loke.
Later at a press conference, Loke said the Cabinet had approved Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd (MRL)’s proposal for the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project to build a double track instead of a single double gauge track for the 25km line from the Jalan Kastam Station in Port Klang to Northport and Westport.
Loke added that no extra cost or government allocation would be incurred for building the double tracks and it will also not inflate the overall cost of developing the ECRL project.
