Ports & Harbours of the Strait of Malacca and the Singapore Strait

History

Klang was formerly the terminus of the government railway and the port of the State. In 1880, the state capital of Selangor was moved from Klang to the more strategically advantageous Kuala Lumpur. Rapid development at the new administrative centre in the late 1800s attracted businessmen and job seekers alike from Klang. At this time the only methods of transport between Klang and Kuala Lumpur were by horse or buffalo drawn wagons, or boat ride along the Klang River to Damansara. Due to this Frank Swettenham stated to Selangor's British Resident at the time, William Bloomfield Douglas, that the journey to Kuala Lumpur was "rather long and boring". He continued to suggest a train line be built as an alternative route.

History

The port was initially built in 1890, to provide a location where tobacco could be transferred directly between rail lines from the interior and deep-draft ships. The harbor expanded in 1907 with the construction of a new section intended for Chinese and indigenous traders, reserving the existing port for European shipping. In the early twentieth century the port's business expanded, with the growth of major rubber and palm oil plantations in northern Sumatra. In the 1920s several major berthing facilities were built.

In 1938, the port was the largest port in the Dutch East Indies, in terms of cargo value. Cargo volumes dropped substantially after Indonesian independence, and did not reach pre-independence levels again until the mid-1960s.

History

Port Dickson used to produce charcoal and was therefore called Arang (Malay: "charcoal"). It was later developed as a small port by the British during the Straits Settlements period. Historically, what is today Port Dickson and nearby Lukut were part of the luak (chiefdom) of Kelang, one of the original nine that formed the first iteration of Negeri Sembilan in 1773. By the early 1800s, it had become part of Selangor. On 30 July 1880, a meeting was held in Singapore between Abdul Samad of Selangor (then sultan of Selangor), Raja Bot (the ruler of Lukut district), Dato' Kelana of Sungai Ujong, as well as the British, in which Selangor ceded the district of Lukut to Sungai Ujong (which later became the modern-day Negeri Sembilan).

Economy

A resort town, Port Dickson thrives primarily on tourism. Nevertheless, there are other sectors that contribute to its economic growth. Along with Seremban, Port Dickson is part of the Malaysia Vision Valley, a growth corridor jointly initiated by both the federal and state governments that aims to develop the western half of Negeri Sembilan to complement existing development in the neighbouring Klang Valley and the Greater Kuala Lumpur area as a whole.

Port Dickson has two refineries, which make significant contributions to the local economy. Shell Refining Company (SRC) has been operating since 1962, while Petron (formerly ExxonMobil Malaysia) has been operating a refinery since 1963.

History

On 13 March 2000, the harbour held its inauguration ceremony, which was officiated by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.

In June 2020, 110 containers of toxic electric arc furnace dust, amounting to some 1,864 tonnes, were found at the port. The Malaysian government said it would work to repatriate the waste.

Facilities

The current port offers 14 berths totalling 5.1 km (3.2 mi) of linear wharf length, and a 120 ha (300 acres) container yard which contains around 240,000 TEU in storage space, 48,374 ground slot and 5,080 reefer points.

The berths are serviced by 66 Super Post-Panamax quay cranes, 24 EEE cranes with 24 rows outreach, 11 of which have a 22 rows outreach and dual hoist 12 m (40 ft) pick, 30 with 22 rows outreach and twin 6.1 m (20 ft) lift. The total capacity of the port today is over 12.5 million TEU per year with 174 rubber tyred gantry cranes and 498 prime movers operates around the container facility.

Operations

In 2002 the port began operating and managing the Lekir Bulk Terminal, a deep-water bulk terminal with a natural depth of 20 metres. An adjacent industrial park provides land for warehousing and transhipment.