April 8 2004 - PENANG Port Sdn Bhd (PPSB) is adding a second vegetable oiltanker pier to its wharf this year to meet increasing demand for vegetableoil handling facilities at the port.

PPSB managing director Datuk Ahmad Hajar yesterday said the short pier,which is due for completion by June, is expected to boost the vegetableoil export business in the northern region.

The pier is one of several infrastructure projects implemented by the portin upgrading our services and carving out niche markets, Ahmad said at theofficiating of Penang Port’s first vehicular export terminal at theButterworth Wharves on mainland Penang.

The new terminal’s pioneer users were Inokom Corp Sdn Bhd, which yesterdayshipped out its first batch of 180 light commercial vehicles to Mexico.

Present at the launch were Inokom executive chairman Amer Hamzah, HyundaiMotor Co South Korea director of Asia-Pacific Hwang Sung Yun and PenangPort Commission general manager Datuk Captain Abdul Rahim Abdul Aziz.

Ahmad said besides the additional vegetable oil tanker pier, work on thesecond phase of the RM195 million North Butterworth Container Terminal isprogressing well and due for completion by May 2005.

He also said that the port is eyeing the handling of liquid cargo such asbitumen soon, since thes activity is currently handled via Singapore.

We are also working towards a ISSO 9001:2000 accreditation for ourconventional cargo handling activities, he added.

Asked on the progress of the proposed multi-storey complex for a busterminal at the Pengkalan Sultan Abdul Halim ferry terminal inButterworth, Ahmad said the Transport Ministry had been positive on thematter and work is expected to commence in a couple of months.

Penang Port, the country’s oldest port operator, is poised for a listingon the main board of the Malaysia Securities Exchange Bhd this year.

Meanwhile, Amer said Inokom’s Kulim plant will initially export 3,000units of its one-tonne Porter lorries, after which several other modelswilld be introduced for exports via Penang Port.

Capital investments exceeding RM50 million have been committed by Inokomover the next two years and we are increasing our current pool of 200workers to 800, he added.