PETALING JAYA: The government is taking proactive measures to prevent congestion at Malaysia’s ports as part of its efforts to mitigate the impact of worsening tensions in the Middle East between the US, Israel, and Iran.
Transport minister Loke Siew Fook said he met with port managements, shipping companies, and maritime industry authorities this morning to discuss mitigation measures, as the conflict had affected maritime movement in the Strait of Hormuz due to the blockade imposed by Iran.
He said that based on past experience, such crises often lead to congestion at Malaysian ports as shipping companies abandon containers bound for conflict zones, disrupting daily export and import operations and, eventually, local factory activities.
“As an initial step to avoid this situation, the government will facilitate the transfer of empty containers from the port areas, while the port managements will conduct more thorough inspections to ensure that containers with unclear destinations are not unloaded at our ports.
“The transport ministry also acknowledges the fuel cost challenges faced by our ports, and we will collaborate to establish mechanisms to address such issues during a crisis,” Loke said in a Facebook post.
He also said that the government was working to assist Malaysian vessels stranded in the Middle East due to the risk of attacks if they set sail.
“In facing a national crisis, all stakeholders need to work together and help one another to protect national interests,” Loke added.
Earlier today, the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturing (FMM) called on the government to set up an export crisis response task force to tackle potential disruptions to global shipping caused by the Iran-US-Israel conflict and instability around the Strait of Hormuz.
FMM president Jacob Lee said countries like India and South Korea had already implemented similar coordination mechanisms to protect export flows amid global trade disruptions.
He said such a task force would serve as a dedicated government-industry platform to provide real-time intelligence on freight rates and shipping routes, coordinate government and industry responses, and introduce support measures for exporters facing higher costs or shipment delays.
