KUALA LUMPUR: Despite the armed conflict in the Middle East disrupting global shipping, local ports continue to see healthy growth as shipping lines opted for Malaysia as a safe transhipment hub, says Anthony Loke.
The Transport Minister said while the geopolitical uncertainties in the Middle East had disrupted trade and port operations in many countries, Malaysia's ports remained largely unaffected with both Port Klang and the Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP) recording favourable shipping volumes in the first quarter of the year.
"Our port operations were not affected by the crisis in the Middle East. In fact, shipping volumes at both Port Klang and PTP were good.The geopolitical uncertainties posed a threat but they also created opportunities for ports in South-East Asia, particularly Malaysia because we are considered a safe haven and a lot of transhipment took place at our ports," he told reporters after launching the Asean Ports and Logistics 2026 Conference on Wednesday (July 8).
Loke said the development highlighted the importance of Asean nations working together to ensure the Straits of Malacca, being one of the world's busiest shipping lanes, remained safe, secure and free from conflict.
He said the encouraging growth also underscored the need to expand Malaysia's port capacity to remain competitive in the long term.
Loke said the proposed Pulau Carey Port would be a key long-term development to complement Port Klang and transform it into a mega port capable of meeting future demand.
He described the project as a major public-private partnership that would be carried out in several phases over the next two decades.
Loke revealed feasibility studies for the project were approved in 2018 following two to three years of research and the Transport Ministry is now working with the Selangor government to resolve land-related matters before construction begins.
He said Singapore's Tuas Port was capable of handling about 60 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) annually compared to Port Klang's current capacity of about 20 million TEUs.
"If we want to compete, we must have the infrastructure to handle larger capacity. That is why we need to develop Pulau Carey Port," he said.
In his keynote address at the event, Loke said Malaysian ports handled about 33.07 million TEUs in 2025, with Port Klang recording a historic 15.14 million TEUs to remain among the world's 10 busiest container ports for the second consecutive year.
He said the Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP) handled a record 14.03 million TEUs.
Loke said up till May this year, cargo volumes also rose by 5% at Port Klang and 8% at PTP.
He said as more than 90% of Malaysia's international trade is transported by sea, investments in port infrastructure are crucial in supporting future trade growth and strengthening Malaysia's position as a regional maritime and logistics hub.
"If we do not make this effort to ensure this development is carried out, we will be left behind in 20 or 30 years in terms of handling greater capacity and infrastructure compared to our neighbouring country," he said.
