Port Klang
Encyclopedia
Port Klang is a town and the main gateway by sea into Malaysia. Colonially known as Port Swettenham, it is also the location of the largest and busiest port in the country. As such, its economic progress has been greatly influenced by the port activities in its area. It is located about 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) southwest of the town of Klang
, and 38 kilometres (23.6 mi) southwest of Kuala Lumpur
.
Located in the District of Klang, it was the 13th busiest transshipment port (2004) and the 16th busiest container port (2007) in the world. It was also the 26th busiest port in by total cargo tonnage handled in 2005.
or buffalo
drawn wagons, or boat ride along the Klang River
to Damansara
. Due to this Frank Swettenham stated to Selangor's British Resident at the time, William Bloomfield Douglas, that the journey to Kuala Lumpur was "rather long and boring". He continued to suggest a train line be built as an alternative route.
In September 1882, Sir Frank Athelstane Swettenham
was appointed Selangor’s new Resident. Swettenham initiated a rail link between Klang and Kuala Lumpur to overcome the transport problems particularly of the tin mining interests, who needed to convey the ore to Klang's port, Pelabuhan Batu. Nineteen and a half miles of rail track from Kuala Lumpur to Bukit Kudu was opened in September 1886, and extended 3 miles to Klang in 1890.
. The river navigation, however, was difficult as only ships drawing less than 3.9 metres (12.8 ft) of water could come up the jetty
, and thus a new port was selected near the mouth of the river as the anchorage was good. Developed by the Malayan Railway and officially opened 15 years later in 15 September 1901 by Swettenham himself, the new port was named Port Swettenham.
Both Klang and Port Swettenham were already known as notoriously malaria prone localities with the port itself located on a mangrove
swamp. Within two months of its opening, the port was closed due to an outbreak of malaria
. Just a few years before, Britain's Sir Ronald Ross
proved in 1897 that malaria is transmitted by mosquitoes. Port Swettenham was the first colonial area
to benefit from the discovery. Swamps were filled in, jungle cleared, and surface water diverted to destroy mosquito
breeding grounds and combat further disruption to port operations. The threat of malaria was removed completely by the end of the exercise. Trade grew rapidly and two new berths
were added by 1914 along with other port facilities. The Selangor Polo Club was founded in Port Swettenham in 1902 but it moved to Kuala Lumpur in 1911.
Between World Wars I
and II
the port experienced much growth and expansion, peaking in 1940 when tonnage
rose to 550,000 tonnes. During the Second World War allied
aircraft were serviced by RAF
Servicing Commandos at airfields in Port Swettenham. Its location is marked on a 1954 map by the United States Army
. Much of the port's facilities that were damaged during the war were reconstructed. The port expanded to the south with permanent installations to handle more palm oil and latex, two increasingly important exports. Imports also grew tremendously and tonnage of cargo handled at the port far exceeded what was thought possible before the war.
as a statutory corporation to take over the administration of Port Klang from the Malayan Railway Administration. In the late 1960s and 1970s new deepwater berths were constructed with wharves suitable for handling container
as well as conventional cargoes. The Royal Selangor Yacht Club was first registered here as "Port Swettenham Yacht Club" in July 1969. In November 1972, Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak declared the container terminal open and in May 1974, construction of seven more berths for bulk cargo began and was completed in 1983. In October 1982, construction of the liquid bulk terminal in North Port was completed.
On 17 March 1986 the container
terminal facilities operated by Port Klang Authority was privatised to Klang Container Terminal Berhad as part of the privatisation exercise of the government. In January 1988, construction work began on a new 800 feet (243.8 m) berth, as an alternative to the immediate development of West Port. A government in directive 1993 has identified Port Klang to be developed into the National Load Centre. Port Klang has since grown and now establishes trade connections with over 120 countries and dealings with more than 500 ports around the world.
administers three ports in the Port Klang area namely Northport, Southpoint
and Westport. Prior to the establishment of the Port Klang Authority, South Port was the only existing port and was administered by the Malayan Railway Administration. Both Westport and Northport have been privatized and managed as separate entities.
The total capacity of the port is 109,700,000 tons of cargo in 2005 compared to 550,000 tons in 1940.
by the Member of Parliament for Klang, Mr. Charles Santiago
. In the State Assembly of Selangor
, the township is represented by Mr. Badrul Hisham Abdullah, the state assemblyman for Port Klang.
is owned and operated by Northport (Malaysia) Bhd and comprises dedicated multipurpose port facilities and services. The Northport entity was a merger of two companies; Kelang Container Terminal (KCT) and Kelang Port Management (KPM). Its operations also cover South Port, which was renamed Southpoint
for conventional cargo handling, and acquired Northport Distripark Sdn Bhd (NDSB) as part of its logistics division.
which is located next to the cargo terminals of Westport. Cruise line
and naval ships drop anchor in any of the three berths at Port Klang Cruise Centre, which was under the management of Star Cruises before being taken over by the Glenn Marine Group.
service and trains stop at the Port Klang Komuter station
. The electric train service links to Klang, Kuala Lumpur
, Petaling Jaya
, Shah Alam
and other parts of the Klang Valley
.
A passenger ferry terminal to Pulau Ketam
and an International terminal to Tanjung Balai
and Dumai
in Indonesia
are also located in the area. The old ferry terminal used to serve regular passenger boats to Pulau Lumut and Telok Gonjeng terminal until the completion of Northport Bridge link.
Main roads that link the Port Klang town, Southport and housing area are Persiaran Raja Muda Musa
and Jalan Pelabuhan Utara
. There is a frequent bus service to Kuala Lumpur
via Klang
.
Port Klang Cruise Centre, Westports and the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ)
are located on Pulau Indah
, which is accessible by road via the Pulau Indah Expressway
connecting to the KESAS Highway
. By the year 2012, Pulau Indah
will be directly connected to Malaysia's administrative capital, Putrajaya
via the South Klang Valley Expressway (SKVE)
.
Klang
Klang , formerly known as Kelang, is the royal city and former capital of the state of Selangor, Malaysia. It is located within the Klang District in Klang Valley. It is located about 32 km to the west of Kuala Lumpur and 6 km east of Port Klang...
, and 38 kilometres (23.6 mi) southwest of Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
.
Located in the District of Klang, it was the 13th busiest transshipment port (2004) and the 16th busiest container port (2007) in the world. It was also the 26th busiest port in by total cargo tonnage handled in 2005.
History
Klang was formerly the terminus of the government railway and the port of the State. In 1880, the state capital of Selangor was moved from Klang to the more strategically advantageous Kuala Lumpur. Rapid development at the new administrative centre in the late 1800s attracted businessmen and job seekers alike from Klang. At this time the only methods of transport between Klang and Kuala Lumpur were by horseHorse-drawn vehicle
A horse-drawn vehicle is a mechanized piece of equipment pulled by one horse or by a team of horses. These vehicles typically had two or four wheels and were used to carry passengers and/or a load...
or buffalo
Water buffalo
The water buffalo is a domesticated bovid widely kept in Asia, Europe and South America.Water buffalo can also refer to:*Wild water buffalo , the wild ancestor of the domestic water buffalo...
drawn wagons, or boat ride along the Klang River
Klang River
Klang River is a river which flows through Kuala Lumpur and Selangor in Malaysia and eventually flows into the Straits of Malacca. It is approximately 120 km in length and drains a basin of about 1288 square kilometres...
to Damansara
Damansara
Damansara may refer to:*Damansara, Selangor - a subdistrict of Petaling of Selangor.*Damansara, Kuala Lumpur*Damansara River* Kota Damansara of Petaling Jaya city - a constituency and community in Sungai Buloh subdistrict of Petaling District...
. Due to this Frank Swettenham stated to Selangor's British Resident at the time, William Bloomfield Douglas, that the journey to Kuala Lumpur was "rather long and boring". He continued to suggest a train line be built as an alternative route.
In September 1882, Sir Frank Athelstane Swettenham
Frank Swettenham
Sir Frank Athelstane Swettenham GCMG CH was the first Resident General of the Federated Malay States which was formed by combining a number of sultanates. He served from 1 July 1896 to 1901. He was also an amateur photographer...
was appointed Selangor’s new Resident. Swettenham initiated a rail link between Klang and Kuala Lumpur to overcome the transport problems particularly of the tin mining interests, who needed to convey the ore to Klang's port, Pelabuhan Batu. Nineteen and a half miles of rail track from Kuala Lumpur to Bukit Kudu was opened in September 1886, and extended 3 miles to Klang in 1890.
. The river navigation, however, was difficult as only ships drawing less than 3.9 metres (12.8 ft) of water could come up the jetty
Jetty
A jetty is any of a variety of structures used in river, dock, and maritime works that are generally carried out in pairs from river banks, or in continuation of river channels at their outlets into deep water; or out into docks, and outside their entrances; or for forming basins along the...
, and thus a new port was selected near the mouth of the river as the anchorage was good. Developed by the Malayan Railway and officially opened 15 years later in 15 September 1901 by Swettenham himself, the new port was named Port Swettenham.
Under British rule
Mangrove
Mangroves are various kinds of trees up to medium height and shrubs that grow in saline coastal sediment habitats in the tropics and subtropics – mainly between latitudes N and S...
swamp. Within two months of its opening, the port was closed due to an outbreak of malaria
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
. Just a few years before, Britain's Sir Ronald Ross
Ronald Ross
Sir Ronald Ross KCB FRS was a British doctor who received the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1902 for his work on malaria. He was the first Indian-born person to win a Nobel Prize...
proved in 1897 that malaria is transmitted by mosquitoes. Port Swettenham was the first colonial area
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
to benefit from the discovery. Swamps were filled in, jungle cleared, and surface water diverted to destroy mosquito
Mosquito
Mosquitoes are members of a family of nematocerid flies: the Culicidae . The word Mosquito is from the Spanish and Portuguese for little fly...
breeding grounds and combat further disruption to port operations. The threat of malaria was removed completely by the end of the exercise. Trade grew rapidly and two new berths
Berth (moorings)
A berth is a location in a port or harbour used specifically for mooring vessels while not at sea.-Locations in a port:Berth is the term used in ports and harbors to define a specific location where a vessel may be berthed, usually for the purposes of loading and unloading.Most berths will be...
were added by 1914 along with other port facilities. The Selangor Polo Club was founded in Port Swettenham in 1902 but it moved to Kuala Lumpur in 1911.
Between World Wars I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and II
Battle of Malaya
The Malayan Campaign was a campaign fought by Allied and Japanese forces in Malaya, from 8 December 1941 – 31 January 1942 during the Second World War. The campaign was dominated by land battles between British Commonwealth army units, and the Imperial Japanese Army...
the port experienced much growth and expansion, peaking in 1940 when tonnage
Tonnage
Tonnage is a measure of the size or cargo carrying capacity of a ship. The term derives from the taxation paid on tuns or casks of wine, and was later used in reference to the weight of a ship's cargo; however, in modern maritime usage, "tonnage" specifically refers to a calculation of the volume...
rose to 550,000 tonnes. During the Second World War allied
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
aircraft were serviced by RAF
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
Servicing Commandos at airfields in Port Swettenham. Its location is marked on a 1954 map by the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
. Much of the port's facilities that were damaged during the war were reconstructed. The port expanded to the south with permanent installations to handle more palm oil and latex, two increasingly important exports. Imports also grew tremendously and tonnage of cargo handled at the port far exceeded what was thought possible before the war.
Post-independence
On 1 July 1963 the Malaysian government established the Port Swettenham Authority, which subsequently was changed to Port Klang AuthorityPort Klang Authority
Port Klang Authority is a government agency of Malaysia that facilitates, regulates and owns the country's most important port, Port Klang, on the Indian Ocean coast near the capital, Kuala Lumpur...
as a statutory corporation to take over the administration of Port Klang from the Malayan Railway Administration. In the late 1960s and 1970s new deepwater berths were constructed with wharves suitable for handling container
Intermodal container
An intermodal container is a standardized reusable steel box used for the safe, efficient and secure storage and movement of materials and products within a global containerized intermodal freight transport system...
as well as conventional cargoes. The Royal Selangor Yacht Club was first registered here as "Port Swettenham Yacht Club" in July 1969. In November 1972, Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak declared the container terminal open and in May 1974, construction of seven more berths for bulk cargo began and was completed in 1983. In October 1982, construction of the liquid bulk terminal in North Port was completed.
On 17 March 1986 the container
Intermodal container
An intermodal container is a standardized reusable steel box used for the safe, efficient and secure storage and movement of materials and products within a global containerized intermodal freight transport system...
terminal facilities operated by Port Klang Authority was privatised to Klang Container Terminal Berhad as part of the privatisation exercise of the government. In January 1988, construction work began on a new 800 feet (243.8 m) berth, as an alternative to the immediate development of West Port. A government in directive 1993 has identified Port Klang to be developed into the National Load Centre. Port Klang has since grown and now establishes trade connections with over 120 countries and dealings with more than 500 ports around the world.
Local governance
Port Klang Authority
The Port Klang AuthorityPort Klang Authority
Port Klang Authority is a government agency of Malaysia that facilitates, regulates and owns the country's most important port, Port Klang, on the Indian Ocean coast near the capital, Kuala Lumpur...
administers three ports in the Port Klang area namely Northport, Southpoint
Southpoint, Malaysia
Southpoint, Malayasia is a port in Malaysia. Called Port Swettenham under British rule, it was the only port in the area and was administered by Malayan Railways Limited...
and Westport. Prior to the establishment of the Port Klang Authority, South Port was the only existing port and was administered by the Malayan Railway Administration. Both Westport and Northport have been privatized and managed as separate entities.
The total capacity of the port is 109,700,000 tons of cargo in 2005 compared to 550,000 tons in 1940.
Klang Municipal Council
Port Klang is under the jurisdiction of the Klang Municipal Council (MPK). It is represented in the ParliamentParliament of Malaysia
The Parliament of Malaysia is the national legislature of Malaysia, based on the Westminster system. The bicameral parliament consists of the House of Representatives and the Senate. The King as the Head of State is the third component of Parliament....
by the Member of Parliament for Klang, Mr. Charles Santiago
Charles Santiago
Charles Santiago is a Malaysian politician and is currently Member of the Parliament of Malaysia for the Klang constituency in Selangor. He is a member of the Democratic Action Party party in the Pakatan Rakyat opposition coalition....
. In the State Assembly of Selangor
Selangor
Selangor also known by its Arabic honorific, Darul Ehsan, or "Abode of Sincerity") is one of the 13 states of Malaysia. It is on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and is bordered by Perak to the north, Pahang to the east, Negeri Sembilan to the south and the Strait of Malacca to the west...
, the township is represented by Mr. Badrul Hisham Abdullah, the state assemblyman for Port Klang.
Port operators
Northport
NorthportNorthport
-Places:United States*Northport, Alabama*Northport, Maine*Northport, Michigan*Northport, Nebraska*Northport, New York**Northport High School*Northport, Tennessee*Northport, Washington*Northport, Door County, Wisconsin*Northport, Waupaca County, Wisconsin...
is owned and operated by Northport (Malaysia) Bhd and comprises dedicated multipurpose port facilities and services. The Northport entity was a merger of two companies; Kelang Container Terminal (KCT) and Kelang Port Management (KPM). Its operations also cover South Port, which was renamed Southpoint
Southpoint, Malaysia
Southpoint, Malayasia is a port in Malaysia. Called Port Swettenham under British rule, it was the only port in the area and was administered by Malayan Railways Limited...
for conventional cargo handling, and acquired Northport Distripark Sdn Bhd (NDSB) as part of its logistics division.
Westport
Westport is managed by Westports Malaysia Sdn Bhd (formerly known as Kelang Multi Terminal Sdn Bhd). A passenger port, Port Klang Cruise Centre, opened in December 1995 at Pulau IndahPulau Indah
Pulau Indah is an island off the west coast of Selangor, Malaysia. The West Port of Port Klang is located here. It was formerly known as Pulau Lumut....
which is located next to the cargo terminals of Westport. Cruise line
Cruise line
A cruise line is a company that operates cruise ships. Cruise lines have a dual character; they are partly in the transportation business, and partly in the leisure entertainment business, a duality that carries down into the ships themselves, which have both a crew headed by the ship's captain,...
and naval ships drop anchor in any of the three berths at Port Klang Cruise Centre, which was under the management of Star Cruises before being taken over by the Glenn Marine Group.
Accessibility
Port Klang is served by the KTM KomuterKTM Komuter
KTM Komuter is a commuter train service in Malaysia operated by Keretapi Tanah Melayu . It was introduced in 1995 to provide local rail services in Kuala Lumpur and the surrounding Klang Valley suburban areas. It is popular with commuters into the city, who thus avoid being caught in road traffic...
service and trains stop at the Port Klang Komuter station
Port Klang Komuter station
The Port Klang Komuter station is a train station in Port Klang, Selangor, Malaysia, operated by KTM Komuter. It is the western terminus on the Sentul-Port Klang Route...
. The electric train service links to Klang, Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
, Petaling Jaya
Petaling Jaya
Petaling Jaya is a Malaysian city originally developed as a satellite township for Kuala Lumpur comprising mostly residential and some industrial areas. It is located in the Petaling district of Selangor with an area of approximately 97.2 km². On 20 June 2006, Petaling Jaya was granted a...
, Shah Alam
Shah Alam
Shah Alam is the state capital of Selangor, Malaysia situated within the Petaling District and a small portion of the neighboring Klang District. It is located about west of the country's capital, Kuala Lumpur. Shah Alam replaced Kuala Lumpur as the capital city of the state of Selangor in 1978...
and other parts of the Klang Valley
Klang Valley
Klang Valley is an area in Malaysia comprising Kuala Lumpur and its suburbs, and adjoining cities and towns in the state of Selangor. An alternative reference to this would be Kuala Lumpur Metropolitan Area or Greater Kuala Lumpur. It is geographically delineated by Titiwangsa Mountains to the...
.
A passenger ferry terminal to Pulau Ketam
Pulau Ketam
Pulau Ketam, literally translated, means "Crab Island". It is a small island located off the coast of Port Klang, Selangor, Malaysia, and was founded circa 1880. The island is easily accessible from the Port Klang jetty by ferry. The "floating houses" that come to view as visitors approach the...
and an International terminal to Tanjung Balai
Tanjung Balai
See Tanjung Balai for the other meanings.Tanjungbalai, also Kota Tanjungbalai, formerly Tanjung Balai, Asahan is a city in North Sumatra province, Indonesia, on the estuary of the Asahan River. It has an area of 58 km² and the 5th largest kota population of Sumut with 154,426 in the 2010 census...
and Dumai
Dumai
Dumai is a city in Riau province on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia. The city has an area of 1727 km² and has 174,465 inhabitants . Dumai is an important transport and trade centre, both regionally and international ....
in Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
are also located in the area. The old ferry terminal used to serve regular passenger boats to Pulau Lumut and Telok Gonjeng terminal until the completion of Northport Bridge link.
Main roads that link the Port Klang town, Southport and housing area are Persiaran Raja Muda Musa
Persiaran Raja Muda Musa
Persiaran Raja Muda Musa, Federal Route and is a major highway in Klang, Selangor, Malaysia. It connects Klang to Port Klang. It is also a main route to Port Klang...
and Jalan Pelabuhan Utara
Northport Highway
Northport Highway or Jalan Pelabuhan Utara, Federal Route is an expressway in Port Klang, Selangor, Malaysia. It connects Port Klang in the south towards Northport in the north.-Notable features:...
. There is a frequent bus service to Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
via Klang
Klang
Klang , formerly known as Kelang, is the royal city and former capital of the state of Selangor, Malaysia. It is located within the Klang District in Klang Valley. It is located about 32 km to the west of Kuala Lumpur and 6 km east of Port Klang...
.
Port Klang Cruise Centre, Westports and the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ)
Port Klang Free Zone
Port Klang Free Zone is a ' located in Malaysia. It offers extensive distribution and manufacturing facilities. It is located along the Straits of Malacca, Port Klang, Klang, Malaysia. The PKFZ was previously managed by Jebel Ali Free Zone Authority . However, it was taken over and rebranded by a...
are located on Pulau Indah
Pulau Indah
Pulau Indah is an island off the west coast of Selangor, Malaysia. The West Port of Port Klang is located here. It was formerly known as Pulau Lumut....
, which is accessible by road via the Pulau Indah Expressway
Pulau Indah Expressway
The Pulau Indah Expressway, Federal Route is the main expressway in Klang Valley, Selangor, Malaysia. It connects Pandamaran in the Shah Alam Expressway to West Port in Pulau Indah. This expressway was opened to traffic in 1995, after four years of construction. Pulau Indah Expressway is a...
connecting to the KESAS Highway
Shah Alam Expressway
Shah Alam Expressway, SAE , is part of a comprehensive network of road links in the Klang Valley, Malaysia. The expressway connects from Pandamaran in Klang, Selangor to Sri Petaling, Kuala Lumpur. Shah Alam Expressway is the third east-west-oriented expressway in the Klang Valley after the...
. By the year 2012, Pulau Indah
Pulau Indah
Pulau Indah is an island off the west coast of Selangor, Malaysia. The West Port of Port Klang is located here. It was formerly known as Pulau Lumut....
will be directly connected to Malaysia's administrative capital, Putrajaya
Putrajaya
Putrajaya is a planned city, located 25km south of Kuala Lumpur, that serves as the federal administrative centre of Malaysia. The seat of government was shifted in 1999 from Kuala Lumpur to Putrajaya, due to the overcrowding and congestion in the Kuala Lumpur areas...
via the South Klang Valley Expressway (SKVE)
South Klang Valley Expressway
The South Klang Valley Expressway or SKVE is an expressway in the southern part of Klang Valley, Malaysia's most densely populated region. This dual-carriageway provides links to the booming towns in southern Klang Valley, including the country's administrative capital, Putrajaya...
.