KUALA LUMPUR, April 21 (Bernama) -- Lumut Port handled close to onemillion freight weight tonnes of cargo in the first two months of thisyear, it announced Wednesday.

In a statement, Integrax Bhd said Lumut Port's terminals, namely LumutMaritime Terminal (LMT) and Lekir Bulk Terminal (LBT), handled about900,666 freight tonnes of cargo during that period.

The number was almost the same amount handled by LMT for the whole of 1998at about 907,905 freight weight tonnes.

"Coal throughput at LBT rose to 212,001 and 272,070 freight weight tonnesin January and February this year compared to a mere 66,026 and 118,814freight weight tonnes within the same period last year," said Lumut Port'soperations manager, M. Ramachandran.

Cargo throughput at LMT rose by 12.7 percent and 9.8 percent respectivelyto 217,288 and 199,307 freight weight tonnes in January and February 2004compared to only 192,728 and 179,696 freight weight tonnes in the sameperiod of 2003.

Lumut Port said a large portion of the cargo handled at LMT was clinker,followed by limestone chips and palm oil.

Exports of clinker at LMT rose by almost double in January 2004 comparedto the same month last year to 95,525 from 49,543 freight weight tonnes.

"The increase in the export of clinker was due to rising demand fromregional countries," Ramachandran said.

Export of palm oil through LMT almost doubled in January 2004 compared tothe same month last year from 15,399 to 30,698 freight weight tonnes.

--BERNAMA