Port Klang is a town and main gateway by sea into Malaysia. Formerly known
as Port Swettenham, it is also the location of the largest and busiest port
in the country. The town's progress is greatly influenced by the port
activities in its area. Port Klang is located in the district of Klang
within the state of Selangor. It is located about 6 kilometres southwest of
Klang, and 38 kilometres (24 mi) southwest of Kuala Lumpur.
Located in the Klang District, it was the 13th busiest transshipment port
(2004) and the 16th busiest container port (2007) in the world. It was also
the 26th busiest port in terms of total cargo tonnage handled in 2005.
History
Klang was formerly the terminus of the government railway and the port of
the State. In 1880, the state capital of Selangor was moved from Klang to
the more strategically advantageous Kuala Lumpur. Rapid development at the
new administrative centre in the late 1800s attracted businessmen and job
seekers alike from Klang. At this time the only methods of transport between
Klang and Kuala Lumpur were by horse or buffalo drawn wagons, or boat ride
along the Klang River to Damansara. Due to this Frank Swettenham stated to
Selangor's British Resident at the time, William Bloomfield Douglas, that
the journey to Kuala Lumpur was "rather long and boring". He continued to
suggest a train line be built as an alternative route.
In September 1882, Sir Frank Athelstane Swettenham was appointed Selangor's
new Resident. Swettenham initiated a rail link between Klang and Kuala
Lumpur to overcome the transport problems particularly of the tin mining
interests, who needed to convey the ore to Klang's port, Pelabuhan Batu.
Twenty two miles of rail track from Kuala Lumpur to Klang was opened in
September 1886, and extended to the estuary of the Klang River in the same
year. The river navigation, however, was difficult as only ships drawing
less that 3.9 metres (13 ft) of water could come up the jetty, and thus a
new port was selected near the mouth of the river as the anchorage was good.
Developed by the Malayan Railway and officially opened 15 years later in 15
September 1901 by Swettenham himself, the new port was named Port Swettenham
Under British rule
Both Klang and Port Swettenham were already known as notoriously malaria
prone localities with the port itself located on a mangrove swamp. Within
two months of its opening, the port was closed due to an outbreak of malaria
Just a few years before, Britain's Sir Ronald Ross proved in 1897 that
malaria is transmitted by mosquitoes. Port Swettenham was the first colonial
area to benefit from the discovery. Swamps were filled in, jungle cleared,
and surface water diverted to destroy mosquito breeding grounds and combat
further disruption to port operations. The threat of malaria was removed
completely by the end of the exercise. Trade grew rapidly and two new berths
were added by 1914 along with other port facilities. The Selangor Polo Club
was founded in Port Swettenham in 1902 but it moved to Kuala Lumpur in 1911.
Between World Wars I and II the port experienced much growth and expansion,
peaking in 1940 when tonnage rose to 550,000 tonnes. During the Second World
War allied aircraft were serviced by RAF Servicing Commandos at airfields in
Port Swettenham. Its location is marked on a 1954 map by the United States
Army. Much of the port's facilities that were damaged during the war were
reconstructed. The port expanded to the south with permanent installations
to handle more palm oil and latex, two increasingly important exports.
Imports also grew tremendously and tonnage of cargo handled at the port far
exceeded what was thought possible before the war.
Post-independence
On 1 July 1963 the Malaysian government established the Port Swettenham
Authority, which subsequently was changed to Port Klang Authority as a
statutory corporation to take over the administration of Port Klang from the
Malayan Railway Administration. In the late 1960s and 1970s new deepwater
berths were constructed with wharves suitable for handling container as well
as conventional cargoes. The Royal Selangor Yacht Club was first registered
here as "Port Swettenham Yacht Club" in July 1969. In November 1972, Prime
Minister Tun Abdul Razak declared the container terminal open and in May
1974, construction of seven more berths for bulk cargo began and was
completed in 1983. In October 1982, construction of the liquid bulk terminal
in North Port was completed.
On 17 March 1986 the container terminal facilities operated by Port Klang
Authority was privatised to Klang Container Terminal Berhad as part of the
privatisation exercise of the government. In January, 1988, construction
work began on a new 800 feet (240 m) berth, as an alternative to the
immediate development of West Port. A government in directive 1993 has
identified Port Klang to be developed into the National Load Centre. Port
Klang has since grown and now establishes trade connections with over 120
countries and dealings with more than 500 ports around the world.
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