Penang Port Commission (PPC) Chairman Datuk Tan Teik Cheng visited Vegetable Oil Tanker Pier (VOTP) at Butterworth Wharve on 11 June 2020. During the visit, he was briefed by Penang Port’s Chief Operating Officer, Encik Radhi bin Mohamad on the performance of the terminal.
The operation in Penang Port has resume as usual with the reopening of local manufacturing companies and other economic activities in China, Thailand and other countries.
PPC as the Port Authority together with port operator and other government agencies will ensure cargo movements in Penang Port will be done smoothly.
He was told that cargo handling at Penang Port recorded positive growth during Chinese New Year and in the month of March but started to decline in April due to the Covid-19 outbreak. Container handling in Penang Port also recorded a decrease of 12 per cent in the month of April. Even though there was a slight increase of container handling in June, but the initial target at 1.5 million TEUs in 2020 remain uncertain. In fact, container handling is expected to drop by six to eight per cent.
Cargo handling in the Free Zone has also dropped due to the closure of factories during Movement Control Order (MCO). But, with the implementation of Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO), most economic activities in Malaysia has been reopened. Economic activities in China and southern Thailand also have resumed in stages. With these, the volume of cargo handled in Penang Port is expected to rise again. This includes barter trade activity with Myanmar.
Datuk Tan has given his assurance that PPC will help in any way possible to increase Penang Port performance.
