SHAH ALAM, April 30 — Despite ongoing tensions in West Asia and the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz, operations at Port Klang were not affected in the first quarter of this year.
Instead, container handling volume (TEU) for the first three months of 2026 rose by 5.2 per cent compared to the same period last year, reaching 3,712,430 TEU.
Port Klang Authority (PKA) chairman Ean Yong Hian Wah said the figure marked an increase of 183,583 units from the 3,528,847 TEU recorded between January and March 2025.
He expects total container throughput for this year to reach 15.37 million TEU, a 3 per cent increase compared to the entire 2025.
“Last year, Port Klang ranked 10th for the first time in the list of the world’s top 100 container ports.
“If this strong performance continues this year, we have the opportunity to climb to ninth place, overtaking the Port of Dubai, which may be affected by the war,” he said in an interview with Chinese media practitioners last Tuesday.
Tighter control on temporary unloading
Commenting further on the potential impact of the West Asia crisis on Port Klang, Yong said trade between the port and countries in the affected region is relatively limited, with container volumes remaining low.
“For example, in 2025, container dealings with West Asia amounted to 627,525 units, which is about 3 per cent of the port’s total volume.
“Based on the current situation, the West Asia crisis has not significantly impacted Port Klang. The effects are only expected to become visible in the second quarter of this year.”
However, he said the real impact of the conflict lies not in container volumes, but in shipping schedules, which could lead to congestion at port terminals.
“For instance, when cargo ships passing through the Strait of Malacca en route to the Port of Dubai encounter war situations mid-journey, they may be forced to make temporary stops at Port Klang.
“Shipping companies would then contact the port authorities to request permission to dock and unload goods.
“Based on past experience, these ‘transhipped’ containers do not have a fixed storage period. Some remain uncollected for a long time, limiting port space and causing congestion both within and outside the port area.”
To prevent a recurrence, both terminals — Northport and Westport — have been instructed to tighten approvals for temporary container unloading.
He added that all applications must include a retrieval timeline and a container clearance plan to avoid rejection.
Yong also disclosed that Port Klang’s capacity has reached nearly 70 per cent, making it challenging to accommodate additional containers.
“Therefore, effective container volume management is essential to prioritise local manufacturers and traders, and to prevent storage yards from becoming overcrowded,” he said. = Media Selangor
