In a statement from Northport (Malaysia) Bhd, the company said the expansion will ensure the port maintains its lead over other gateways in the country. The expansion will also meet the needs of bigger and faster ships in long haul trades from Europe to Asia, offering connectivity to global ports.

Northport, with its MYR800 million annual turn-over, is linked more than 200 ports worldwide, including an extensive feeder network to local harbours that makes it a major regional hub, handling nearly 1 million TEU a year in transhipments alone.

The port operating company, with a shareholders fund exceeding MYR1 billion, owns and operates 15 other dedicated berths for handling breakbulk, dry bulk and liquid bulk cargoes, in addition to the 13 container berths at Port Klang.

The expansion, to be funded by an internally-generated fund, will be spent over the next two to three years on a 350 metre container berth that will bring the total container quay length to 3.6 kilometres.