Malaysia port orders $126M of cranes from Mitsui Engineering

Malaysia’s Port Klang has placed a $126million order with Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding for 29 cranes – the largest order in the company’s crane business.

The order consists of 14 cranes to unload containers from ships and 15 cranes to transport containers around the port. The automated engine controls on some of the models use 30% less fuel than earlier models. The cranes will be made at Mitsui Engineering’s Oita Works and delivery is planned by the end of 2016.

The order was placed by Westports Malaysia, which operates a container terminal at Port Klang. On the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, the port is Malaysia’s busiest container port and is considered the number-two hub port in Southeast Asia after Singapore.

The anticipated increase in container traffic accompanying the economic integration of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations region at the end of 2015 has Port Klang and many other ports making expansion plans. Mitsui Engineering is spending 7 billion yen ($60 million) to boost capacity at Oita Works by 70%. It aims to increase its global market share to 20% in fiscal 2017 from just over 10% in fiscal 2013.