Port Klang (Malay: Pelabuhan Klang) is the one of the main ports of Malaysia, located in the district of Klang in the state of Selangor . It serves the Klang Valley, including the federal capital Kuala Lumpur and federal administrative capital Putrajaya.

Port Klang is situated on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia, about 40 km from the capital city, Kuala Lumpur.Its proximity to the greater Klang Valley - the commercial and industrial hub of the country as well as the country's most populous region ensures that the port plays a pivotal role in the economic development of the country. Based on a Government directive in 1993, Port Klang is currently being developed as the National Load Centre and eventually a hub for the region.

With a number of load centring and hubbing strategies pursued since 1993, the facilities and services in Port Klang are now synonymous to those of World class ports. The port has trade connections with over 120 countries and dealings with more than 500 ports around the world. Its ideal geographical location makes it the first port of call for ships on the eastbound leg and the last port of call on the westbound leg of the Far East-Europe trade route.

Port Klang was originally known as Port Swettenham when it was founded under British colonial rule in 1893, after the then British Resident High Commissioner for the Malay State, Sir Frank Swettenham. Official opening of the port was on September 15, 1901, which developed as a new port after a study found that its coastal area had a harbor with deep anchorage, free from dangers and very suitable for wharves. Its development was accelerated further with the extension of a railway line from Kuala Lumpur to the new port.

Map of Pelabuhan Klang (Port Klang)

Port Authority

The Port Klang Authority, established 1 July 1963, administers the three ports in the Port Klang area: Northport, Southpoint and West Port. Prior to that the only existing port, the South Port, was administered by the Malayan Railway Administration.

Currently, both West Port and Northport have been privatized and managed as separate entities. West Port is managed by Kelang Multi Terminal (KMT), and North Port by Northport (Malaysia) Bhd (NMB). The current Northport entity is actually a merger from two companies, Kelang Container Terminal (KCT) and Kelang Port Management (KPM). Northport (Malaysia) Bhd currently operates South Port, which was rebranded Southpoint, and acquired Northport Distripark Sdn Bhd (NDSB) as part of its logistics division.

Transport

A well-developed and efficient transportation infrastructure is in place to handle the volume of cargo traffic at Port Klang.

By Road

The North-South Expressway along the western side of the Peninsular together with the Klang Valley Expressway and the Federal Highway Route 2, play an important role in the distribution of both import and export cargo between Port Klang and its hinterland.

By Train

Port Klang is served by KTM Komuter stations (including the Port Klang Komuter station) which link it to Kuala Lumpur, Petaling Jaya, Shah Alam and other parts of the Klang Valley.

Ferry Terminal

A 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. There is an hourly bus service to Kuala Lumpur via Klang.

The Future

Port Klang Authority has identified additional facilities as part of its supply-driven policies. When Westport is completed, the facilities at Port Klang will be sufficient to handle the projected cargo throughput 130.5 million tonnes by the year 2010. Container projection by then will be 8.4 million TEUs.

As part of the master plan, the development of Port Klang will also see further expansion of port facilities south of Port Klang between Tanjung Rhu and Batu Laut (30 km from Port Klang). The major thrust of these developments will be more industrial based dealing with very large consignments.

Port Klang's development is in line with the economic growth in the central region of the country and also its identity as a regional transshipment base. \

Port Klang Tourist Attractions

There's nothing really special about Port Klang. The port only handIes half of Malaysia's comainerlsed cargo and remains largely a destination for those who have dealings with imports, exports and all matters related to maritime trade and the shipping industry. It is definitely not a popular tourist destination and in a nutshell, it is a dull, wealthy place to be in. Yet Port Klang has the potential to become a port ci~

Currently, there are no waterfronts or social activities or attractions to lure tourists to make a trip to the port.To sttm it up, Port Klang needs a vibrant waterfront. Hence plans to build a tourism project called Harbour City was expected to take between 10 years and 15 years to complete and will cost RM1.5 billion. This project features a passenger terminal, shops, a hotel, a marina, an ofllce tower and chalets, yet the project has not taken off.

Nonetheless, promoting Port Klang as a halal hub might make it as an ideal place for investments. Backed with Port Klang's rich history, the future port city has great potential in the tourism industry.

Comments About Port Klang: Port Klang as a potential tourist port city...

There are no places of attraction for tourists - no shopping malls or cultural centres. Just a skyline dotted with gantry cranes, huge haulier trucks and other heavy machinery on the ground and miles and miles of warehouses, depots and godowns

Despite its success as a principal gateway for a huge portion of Malaysia's trade, Port Klang has remained what it is - just a port... The port, which handles close to half of Malaysia's containerised cargo remains largely a destination for only those who have dealings with imports, exports and all matters related to maritime trade and the shipping industry.

Port Klang is included in the voyages of many of the world's major shipping lines. Maersk Line, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Cosco Container Lines, Evergreen Marine, Hanjin Shipping and France's CMA-CGM call on the port, and international corporations such as Schenker Logistics, Kuehne & Nagle and BAX Global have set up their logistics activities in the vicinity.

Nonetheless, Port Klang has a long way to go before becoming a port city as it requires extensive development of facilities and attractions which involve huge costs

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