FULL SAIL AHEAD FOR JOHOR PORT
JOHOR BAHRU, 13 January 2022 – Johor Port Bhd, a member of MMC Group is part of the essential services to the country in which the Port’s operations provide an important service in ensuring that the country’s trade continues to function. The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted global economic activities and trade and its disruptive effects were felt across a wide range of economic sectors and industries both globally and domestically.
Despite a very challenging year, Johor Port has continued to operate at an optimum level based on the Port’s Operational requirements to ensure that there was no disruption to its Import, Export and Logistics activities and at the same time, leveraged on the various opportunities that came its way. Critically, the challenges posed by the pandemic has presented Johor Port’s Management with opportunities to seek for Operational efficiencies which include continuous process streamlining, upgrading of equipment and effective people management; and to further strengthen its cost base against the backdrop of COVID-19 infection amongst the Port’s employees and the urgent need to establish and roll out the Port’s “Guidelines on the COVID-19 Precautionary Measures” and the critical Pandemic Response Plan (PRP).
In spite of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing Movement Control Orders (MCOs) which had resulted in the closure of non-essential industries and with factories operating at minimum capacity, Johor Port is still forecasting a slight Year on Year overall volume growth of 1%. The Port had also rolled out its Container Terminal Operational Improvement Plan focusing on Productivity Improvement and Yard Efficiency which has resulted in a better Gross Moves Per Hour (GMPH) of 25 crane Gross Moves Per Hour as opposed to 22 crane Gross Moves Per Hour previously.
Johor Port’s cargo diversity, sustainability and resiliency has enabled the Port to weather the COVID-19 pandemic storm; and while it has impacted for example its Clinker cargo volume due to lesser construction activities during the various MCOs and its Petroleum volume due to lower consumption as a direct result of lesser activities and border closure, the volume for other essential products and commodities in terms of Food & Plantation related items such as Coconut Oil, Wheat, Maize, PKS, PKE & Fertilizer remain strong.
Johor Port has also recently clinched the “Asia’s Most Influential Companies Award” at the Asia Corporate Excellence & Sustainability Awards (ACES) 2021 and marked another milestone by winning two (2) awards at the prestigious Anugerah Kecemerlangan Industri (AKI) or Industry Excellence Award for the Service Sector under Category 4 (Domestic company with sales turnover of more than RM100 million) and the Prime Minister Award, the highest accolade at the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI)’s Awards ceremony.
“We have undertaken numerous initiatives to innovate and establish Johor Port as one of the most efficient multi-purpose ports in the region and these awards are a testament to our ability to understand and accommodate the market’s needs as well as in delivering high-quality services to our customers,” said Md Derick Basir, Chief Executive Officer of Johor Port Berhad.
“The recognition accorded to Johor Port, in particular the highly prestigious Prime Minister Award, is the silver lining to a challenging COVID-19 year for all of us. We couldn’t have achieved what we have so far without the support of everybody; and I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our business partners, regulatory bodies, vendors, suppliers and employees for their valuable partnerships and unwavering support in our journey over the years,” added Md Derick Basir.