PUTRAJAYA, March 10 — Malaysia will implement several mitigation measures to ensure the country’s port operations remain unaffected by potential disruptions arising from the conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran, Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook said.
He said the matter was discussed during a meeting with port operators, shipping companies and maritime industry authorities earlier today to coordinate immediate steps to address possible disruptions to global logistics chains and maritime movements through the Strait of Hormuz.
“Based on past experience, crises often lead to port congestion in our country as containers destined for conflict areas are sometimes abandoned by shipping companies, which can slow down daily import and export operations as well as refinery activities,” he said in a Facebook post.
The Strait of Hormuz, located between Iran and Oman, is one of the world’s most important oil transit routes, with about one-fifth of global oil consumption passing through the narrow waterway each day.
As an initial measure, Anthony Loke Siew Fook said the government would facilitate the movement of empty containers from port areas to prevent congestion, while port authorities would also conduct more thorough inspections.
He added that the measures are aimed at ensuring containers with unclear destinations are not unloaded at Malaysian ports.
–BERNAMA
