Bintulu Port Holdings manages and operates two major deep sea ports in East
Malaysia including Bintulu Port which is the country’s third-largest in terms
of cargo throughput. In 2022, the Group aims to ride the waves of growth
and cement its position as a leading port in the region. Its Group CEO,
Datuk Mohammad Medan Abdullah, reveals more.
“In 2021, Bintulu Port became the first in ASEAN to carry out large scale exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) certified tanks. This is a major milestone for the Group and the container sector as a whole.
Our subsidiary, Biport Bulkers Sdn Bhd (BBSB), was successfully registered as a Port Tank Installation (PTI) for the delivery of the East Malaysia Crude Palm Oil Futures (FEPO) contract traded on Bursa Malaysia Derivatives. This allows the Group to contribute to enhancing the competitiveness of Sarawak’s palm oil sector.
In addition, we renewed contracts with Vestigo Petroleum and Thailand’s PTT Exploration and Production (PTTEP) for the provision of base support services at Bintulu Port.
As part of our smart port initiatives, we improved and expanded our wireless coverage to ensure high availability at our Base Stations. We implemented Electronic Delivery Order (EDO), barcode scanning and radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology to improve cargo handling and deliveries.
We managed to overcome the operational and financial challenges faced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Strict SOPs were implemented to ensure the safety of employees, port users, contractors, agents and visitors, resulting in zero shutdowns during this period. In the first half of 2021, Bintulu Port handled 24.63 million tonnes of cargo, a 6.6 percent increase compared to 1H 2019.
As a result of prudent cost management, the Group experienced a 12.5 percent increase in operating profits in 2021. This not only illustrates our continued resilience but also proves our ability to adapt to any situation.
Turning the Tide
We remain committed to diversifying our service offerings and continuously innovate in line with industrial and economic demands. Within the next five years, we aim to increase Bintulu Port’s handling capacity by 30 percent and double cargo volume at Samalaju Port by attracting more investors.
To increase cargo throughput, we will undertake new marketing initiatives to attract and retain existing customers while continuously enhancing port facilities to meet their requirements.
Having expanded our marine services to Brunei in 2019, we are looking to increase our footprint there and eventually to the region. At the same time, we look forward to developing additional LNG ISO tank-related services to the sector.
In facing future challenges brought about by the pandemic, the management will continue deploying the Business Response Plan (BRP) to minimise the impact of supply chain disruptions on our business operations.
Moving forward, we are committed to carrying out investments and operations in a sustainable manner and maximising shareholders’ value based on the triple bottom line objectives of profit, people and planet.”
