PUTRAJAYA – The National Load Centre policy introduced in 1990 to centralise all cargo services at Port Klang, Selangor no longer applies, according to Transport Minister Anthony Loke.
In a special press conference today, he said the decision not to enforce the policy was agreed on in a cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
According to him, the Transport Ministry’s policy of promoting Port Klang as the only National Load Centre is no longer applicable as the port is now handling import and export containers exceeding six million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units).
“This is the first time the Transport Ministry is announcing this because all this time, there have been various misperceptions, especially in Sabah which felt that foreign ships do not go to Sabah ports because we have this National Load Centre policy.
“It is confirmed that the National Load Centre policy no longer applies, so any port can be used as a loading port, or called by any shipping company directly,” he said.
Accordingly, Loke said the decision to stop at any Malaysian port is permissible and subject to the commercial decision of the shipping company.
“International shipping liners or companies can continue to dock at any ports in Malaysia, whether in Peninsular Malaysia or Sabah and Sarawak,” he said.
He also said all local and foreign vessels carrying out cargo services in Malaysian waters need to apply for a Domestic Shipping Licence (DSL) due to national security factors.
He said the DSL application process has been simplified and will be processed within three days.
“So, for security issues, we require companies operating cargo services in national waters to have a DSL,” he said.
Loke also emphasised that all foreign ships can provide shipping services directly (direct call) from foreign ports to any ports in Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan to transport import or export goods.
In addition, he said the cabinet also agreed in principle with the proposed extension of Desaru Port limits and the determination of the new area is subject to the National Security Council study.
“This move to expand port limits is necessary to ensure stricter security control against ships that anchor illegally in these waters and also to allow shipping activities to be better regulated,” he said. – March 1, 2024