Team Northport > January Bulletin 2

Passage clear for mega carries heading Northport

Integrated Marine Works Sdn Bhd, the subsidiary of Inai Kiara has completed RM308 million Northern Approach Channel deepening works at Port Klang ahead of schedule.

Capt Hisham Hashim, the Managing Director of Inai Kiara Sdn Bhd, said the dredging was carried out a depth of 13.5 metres.

“With a prevailing high tidal range of about 5 metres, the deepening of the Port Klang North channel to 13.5 metres will offer a total channel depth of 18 metres, more than adequate under keel clearance to allow the passage of the mega-size new generation ships,” stressed Capt Hisham.

“We were able to complete the job on schedule as we deployed all of our eight hydraulic trailing suction hopper dredgers, round- the-clock in the Northern Approach Channel. The dredgers have with capability to dredge to 35 metres depth and are assisted by GPS system and multibeam hydrographic surveys which produce 3-D images of the seabed,”he said.

The computer system on board of the dredgers provides information about the status of channel dredging process and even the position of the dredge in the channel will be displayed on a computer screen while they are working. Using computers to process and display information about the job and the dredge while they are working allows the dredging to be done with great efficiency. It saves time and money, and results in safer navigation channels.

Dreding of the approach channel to Northport Malaysia was carried out in six parcel (1A. 1B, 1C, 2A, 2B and 2C). The sector from Sarang Lang to Buoy 14 has been dredged to 15.5 metres and from the Buoy 14 to Pulau Angsa has been dredged to 13.5 metre.

“Further deepening the Northern Approach Channel to 15.5 metres could be expected in the near future,” said Capt Hisham.

Meanwhile complementing the deepening of the channel, Northport announced plans to develop a new dedicated terminal for the ultra large “Suez Max” class vessels, in excess of 12,000 TEUs. The terminal development forms part of the RM585 million expansion plan. The new generation mega size vessels, which require deep draft, will be berthed at the new 350 metre berth (Berth 8A) that is being developed linearly as an extension to the Container Terminal 3.

Northport has also made provision to deepen the harbor basin at the approach channel leading from Labuan Gurap. The approach channel to Southpoint, which is a conventional cargo hub port, will be deepened to 11.5 metres to cater for the bigger draft ships while the turning basin will be further dredged to allow 200 metre-long vessels to enter and leave the Southpoint without any problem.

The initiative to expand the facilities and services at South point is consistent with recent trends reflected in the arrival more conventional cargo ships, especially from the various neighboring ports.

Northport will be widening the current surface span of wharves 3, 4 and 5 that stretch 430 metres to 47 metres, across from the present 15.2 metres. In addition to widening of the surface area, work also involves the installation of new fenders to take the impact of bigger vessels up to 80,000 displacement tones.