COMPANY OPINION ON WHY CERTAIN OPERATOR TAKES SEVERAL YEARS TO IMPROVE THE FACILITIES AN QUIPMENT AT THE PORT. WHAT ADVICE THEY COULD GIVE TO PORT OPERATOR.

Opinion on why certain port operator takes several years to improve the facilities and equipment at the port.

There are 4 opinions that Pasir Gudang Forwarding Sdn Bhd share to us about why certain port operator takes several years to improve the facilities and equipment at the port. The first opinion that they told us is the port might face changing market environment. The ports are affected by larger uncertainties and risk than before because of the trade of the world become large and required very updated technology in order to keep competitive with other post around the world. These trends and the expansion of the role in port activities have forced ports to become more market-oriented and to manage and monitor their strategic planning process. They also say that the as the world population grows each year, then the global trade will be the same situation. Global trade puts pressure on ports since they cannot to accommodate the number of vessels required to keep up with the increased shipping industry activity and traffic. They have not enough time to keep the updated technology at the port.

The land ownership is the one of the reasons of why port operator takes several years to improve the facilities and equipment at the port that are being told by Pasir Gudang Forwarding Sdn Bhd. They told that nowadays when want to operate the port require many procedures and regulation, if one of that are not follow then the possibility of the port will be warning of get the penalty. The land ownership is the government, who lease the port to the port operator for the port operator to manage and operate but all of the development activities must get their approval before starting it. Some of the development may be accept but some of the development may not be accept. All the result be under the government. So the development or upgraded activities of port operator will be limited.

The third reason that Pasir Gudang Forwarding Sdn Bhd tell is the lack of community support because some port also struggles to gain community support due to its operations which can be harsh on surrounding lands and communities near them. They also known for their pollution, and use of coastal land, community support can be difficult to achieve. As for the pollution that can occur is air and water pollution. All the vessels can give tendency of spill of the fuel and for the air pollution that can occur by the equipment they used at the port. Some of the ports are not consider how they affect the community by not focusing on developing the attractivity of their ports for residents and tourist, not caring more for the environment, and providing jobs for surrounding residents. So, they hard to get the sustainability that led to upgrade their technology at the port. They will be labelled with bad image that can lead to decreased in their financial because of not many ships company use that port and cannot upgrade their equipment, they only spend more money on crews that end up working overtime only because they are waiting for a vessel to arrive.

The last reason on why certain port operator takes several years to improve the facilities and equipment at the port is because of the lack of the experience and intellectual workers. By applying the upgraded technology, they were requiring the worker who has the knowledge to handle that technology in terms of the set the full command if use automatic system at the port. But nowadays, the workers only know how to manages the out to date technology. So, many port choose to stay with the same technology used to avoid any problem to their daily operation. They said it better to stay rather then used technology that are updated but not know how to handle it.

What advice they could give to port operator?

The first advice that Pasir Gudang Forwarding Sdn Bhd give to port operator is the port must do the employee empowerment in order to give knowledge for their workers about the upgraded technology and equipment. They can send their workers to train of technology, so the workers can implement the knowledge when the port was introducing new technology. Even though it requires cost but with that can stay competitive with other port in term of the technology that can handle by the workers.

The second advise from Pasir Gudang Forwarding Sdn Bhd as the shipping company, they must follow all the regulations by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in order to achieve smooth operation at the port and gain good image, increased security and safety. IMO has provided the regulation on how the port must be operate legally and protect the environment and community. It is because the port is really taking big roles of the global trade, if they do not follow the IMO standard when operated then it can impact other communities. The port can implement of Green Port. With that also can gain trustworthy of the community.