KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 22): Port Klang, comprising Northport and Westports, climbed two spots to 11th in the rankings of the world's top 100 busiest container ports for 2023, according to the latest rankings by Lloyd’s List.

Last year, Port Klang handled a throughput of 14.06 million TEUs (20-foot equivalent units), up 6.3% from the 13.22 million TEUs recorded in 2022. Local import and export boxes grew by 8.4% to 6.16 million TEUs in 2023 from 5.68 million TEUs in 2022.

According to the Ministry of Transport (MOT), out of the 20 top container ports, Port Klang is one of the seven ports that has climbed in rankings compared with the previous year. The others were Dubai, Xiamen, Laem Chabang, Kaohsiung, Tangier Med and Taicang.

"This growth has propelled Port Klang to become one of the top three largest transshipment hubs in Asia (excluding China ports)," the ministry said in a statement issued late Wednesday.

For the first half of this year, Port Klang recorded a 5.6% year-on-year growth in container volume to 8.4 million TEUs. It is forecasting a 5.5% growth for the whole of 2024 of 14.83 million TEUs, putting the port in a good position to break through to the top 10 ranking in 2024.

"The significant improvement in Port Klang’s ranking reflects the dedication and hard work of everyone involved in Port Klang's operations, from the MOT, the Port Klang Authority, the terminal operators and all other strategic partners. This milestone is not just about numbers; it signifies Port Klang’s ongoing commitment to enhancing efficiency, expanding capacity, quick response to the ever evolving trends along with the global economic and political challenges of the shipping and maritime industry, solidifying Port Klang's position as a key player in the global shipping scene," said the MOT.

"Port Klang's rise in the rankings is indicative of Malaysia's growing influence in international trade. The port's strategic location, coupled with strategic policies, continuous infrastructure development and investment in cutting-edge technologies, has made it an increasingly attractive hub for global shipping lines and trade routes," it added.

Looking ahead, the MOT said Port Klang aims to maintain its upward trajectory and achieve even greater milestones in the coming years.

"With extensive plans for further expansion and modernisation, the port is poised to play an even more significant role in facilitating global trade.

"Port Klang is not only looking at being a transshipment hub, with its ratio in composition of trade between transshipment and local cargo moving from 70:30 to 55:45 in the last decade, but is also moving towards enhancing its role as an important regional distribution and logistics centre in Asia," said the MOT.

In 2023, the Port of Shanghai once again claimed the top spot on the Lloyd's List rankings, followed by the Port of Singapore.