Ctg port looks to partner with Malaysia's Penang
Wednesday, 20 January 2010
FE Report
Chittagong port looks to build strategic partnership with the Malaysian Penang port as the government moves to modernise the country's main gateway by sea, Shipping Minister Shahjahan Khan said Tuesday.
He said Bangladesh was keen to make Malaysia's Penang its sister port to foster trade and economic relations between the two countries and also share expertise on how to operate the port in a more efficient way.
Chittagong port is Bangladesh's key economic lifeline, handling more than 90 per cent of the country's US$ 35 billion annual foreign trade.
He unveiled the government's plan in Malaysia after a tour of the newly-built Swettenham Pier International Cruise Terminal at Penang.
"We don't have any sister port and we feel that the Penang port will be ideal," Mr Shahjahan told reporters, according to the Malaysian state news agency Bernama.
He said Bangladesh was interested in having a greater understanding of operations of a modern port such as the Penang port.
Mr Shahjahan is now in the Southeast Asian country to explore the possibility of making Penang Chittagong's sister port. Accompanying them were Penang Port Commission chairman Tan Cheng Liang and Penang Port Sdn Bhd chairman Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahaya.
He said he would discuss the matter with the prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, after his return from Kuala Lumpur.
"I hope to sign the memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Penang port soon. We are impressed with the development of the port," he said.
Penang port head Tan Cheng Liang said she was hopeful that the MOU could be signed shortly as it would help further develop both the ports. "If we sign the MOU with the port, especially Chittagong port, it will help strengthen the relationship between the two nations in terms of port operations," Ms Liang said.
She said Penang port made a steady progress since it was privatised in 1994 and its throughput increased by 3.1 per cent to 958,476 twenty-foot equivalent (TEUs) last year from 929,639 TEUs in 2008.
Chittagong port looks to build strategic partnership with the Malaysian Penang port as the government moves to modernise the country's main gateway by sea, Shipping Minister Shahjahan Khan said Tuesday.
He said Bangladesh was keen to make Malaysia's Penang its sister port to foster trade and economic relations between the two countries and also share expertise on how to operate the port in a more efficient way.
Chittagong port is Bangladesh's key economic lifeline, handling more than 90 per cent of the country's US$ 35 billion annual foreign trade.
He unveiled the government's plan in Malaysia after a tour of the newly-built Swettenham Pier International Cruise Terminal at Penang.
"We don't have any sister port and we feel that the Penang port will be ideal," Mr Shahjahan told reporters, according to the Malaysian state news agency Bernama.
He said Bangladesh was interested in having a greater understanding of operations of a modern port such as the Penang port.
Mr Shahjahan is now in the Southeast Asian country to explore the possibility of making Penang Chittagong's sister port. Accompanying them were Penang Port Commission chairman Tan Cheng Liang and Penang Port Sdn Bhd chairman Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahaya.
He said he would discuss the matter with the prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, after his return from Kuala Lumpur.
"I hope to sign the memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Penang port soon. We are impressed with the development of the port," he said.
Penang port head Tan Cheng Liang said she was hopeful that the MOU could be signed shortly as it would help further develop both the ports. "If we sign the MOU with the port, especially Chittagong port, it will help strengthen the relationship between the two nations in terms of port operations," Ms Liang said.
She said Penang port made a steady progress since it was privatised in 1994 and its throughput increased by 3.1 per cent to 958,476 twenty-foot equivalent (TEUs) last year from 929,639 TEUs in 2008.