Northport and Weifang Sime Darby Port Sign Sister Port MOU

The MoU was signed by Dato' Sri Che Khalib Mohamad Noh, Chairman of Northport and Mr. Timothy Lee Chi Tim, Chairman of Weifang Sime Darby Port. Northport is part of MMC Corporation Berhad (MMC), Malaysia’s leading utilities and infrastructure group, while Weifang Sime Darby Port, operator of Weifang Port in Shandong, China, is part of Sime Darby Berhad, one of South East Asia’s largest conglomerates.

The exchange ceremony, held in conjunction with the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road the One Belt, One Road Forum, was witnessed by Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak, Prime Minister of Malaysia, in Beijing yesterday.

"The cooperation and collaboration for the establishment of a sister port relationship is aimed at boosting the roles of both ports in conjunction with the "21st Century Maritime Silk Road" and the "One Belt, One Road" initiatives", said Dato' Sri Che Khalib.

Weifang Sime Darby Port and Northport will share experiences, capabilities and resources in the fields of port management and related activities. Both ports will also carry out joint commercial and promotional activities and establish the necessary facilities to attract companies in the shipping and related industries in Malaysia and China. 

(From left) Chief Executive Officer of Northport (M) Bhd, Dato’ Azman Shah Mohd Yusof, Group Chief Executive Officer of MMC Port Holdings Berhad, Ian James, Chairman of Northport (M) Berhad, Dato’ Sri Che Khalib Mohamad Noh, Prime Minister of Malaysia, YAB Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak, Sime Darby President and Group Chief Executive, Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Bakke Salleh, Chairman of Weifang Sime Darby Port, Timothy Lee Chi Tim, Chief Financial Officer of Weifang Sime Darby Port, Alan Tong Yong Han, Head of Marketing & Logistics for Weifang Sime Darby Port, Lai Ah Chek.

Sime Darby Berhad President and Group Chief Executive, Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Mohd Bakke Salleh, said the partnership has great potential to capture a slice of the fast growing halal market. 

“Halal is big business and this partnership aims to capture a market that is growing by 10% a year. Weifang Port is strategically located in the prime region of the Bohai Sea economic belt, offering a major access into China’s hinterland,” Mohd Bakke said.

Weifang Port is now actively expanding its business into the halal industry. Its close proximity to the One Belt One Road network provides an added advantage to a proposed "halal corridor" linking the Muslim regions in China, namely Henan, Ningxia, Gansu and Xinjiang, where the Muslim population is estimated to be more than 30 million people. Weifang Port could also be a gateway and a future halal hub for the Korean and Japanese markets.

“Northport’s strategic location on the Straits of Malacca, surrounded by major commercial and industrial areas has made the port Malaysia’s preferred gateway for local shippers. Northport is also connected to almost all major highways and vast hinterland. This extensive connectivity has made Northport to be appropriately suited for the role as the main gateway to provide integration of logistics services entirely to halal entrepreneurs wishing to market their products to China,” added Dato’ Seri Che Khalib.

Northport is a subsidiary of MMC Port Holdings Sdn Bhd (MMC Ports) which is involved in managing, developing and operating container ports and terminals in Malaysia. MMC Ports is a wholly-owned subsidiary of MMC Corporation Berhad, a Malaysia-based conglomerate involved in ports and logistics; energy and utilities; and engineering and construction. MMC also owns Pelabuhan Tanjung Pelepas Sdn Bhd, Johor Port Berhad and Penang Port Sdn Bhd. Internationally, MMC Ports has an associate stake in Red Sea Gateway Terminal Company Limited, a container port terminal within the Jeddah Islamic Port, Saudi Arabia.

Weifang Sime Darby Port Co. Ltd is a unit of Sime Darby Logistics, a subsidiary of Sime Darby Berhad. It operates Weifang Port in Shandong, China, the largest modernised multi-purpose and comprehensive port in the Yellow River Delta, and an important feeder port within the Bohai Rim. It is a major transit port for bauxite and a major distribution centre for iron ore in central and western Shandong. It is also China’s major export port for sea salt and marine chemical products and a national designated port for dairy import in Shandong.

About Sime Darby Group

Sime Darby is a Malaysia-based diversified multinational involved in key growth sectors, namely, plantation, industrial equipment, motors, property and logistics. Founded in 1910, its business divisions seek to create positive benefits in the economy, environment and society where it has a presence.
  
With a workforce of over 120,000 employees in 25 countries and 4 territories, Sime Darby is committed to building a sustainable future for all its stakeholders. It is one of the largest companies on Bursa Malaysia with a market capitalisation of RM 63.45 billion (USD 14.63 billion) as at 12 May 2017.

About MMC Corporation Berhad

MMC Corporation Berhad (MMC) is a leading utilities and infrastructure group with diversified businesses under three divisions, namely ports & logistics, energy & utilities and engineering & construction.

Its key businesses under the Ports and Logistics division include the operations of Port Tanjung Pelepas (One of Malaysia’s leading container terminals), Johor Port Berhad (Malaysia's premier multi-purpose port), Northport (Malaysia) Bhd (Malaysia's preferred gateway terminal in Central Region), Penang Port Sdn Bhd (Malaysia’s Northern Gateway) and Kontena Nasional Berhad (Malaysia's premier logistics company). Internationally, MMC has an associate stake in Red Sea Gateway Terminal Company Limited, a container port terminal within the Jeddah Islamic Port, Saudi Arabia.

Under the Energy & Utilities division, MMC is the single largest shareholder of both Malakoff Corporation Berhad (Malaysia's largest independent power producer) and Gas Malaysia Berhad (sole supplier of reticulated natural gas in Peninsular Malaysia to non-power sector). 

MMC's Engineering & Construction division has further established itself in the sector with a leading role as the Project Delivery Partner (PDP) and underground works package contractor for the 51km Klang Valley Mass Rapid Transit (KVMRT) project (Sungai Buloh-Kajang Line) and Line 2 project (Sungai Buloh-Serdang-Putrajaya Line). Prior to this, MMC has successfully completed the 329km Ipoh-Padang Besar Electrified Double Tracking Project as well as the innovative Stormwater Management and Road Tunnel (SMART) motorway, the first-of-its-kind dual-purpose tunnel in the world.

MMC continues to make inroads in the construction industry, securing key civil and infrastructure projects in the country namely Langat Centralised Sewage Treatment Plant, Langat 2 Water Treatment Plant, civil and infrastructure works for RAPID Pengerang Cogeneration Plant. Additionally, MMC has a 20% effective interest in Borneo Highway PDP Sdn Bhd (BHP) which has been appointed as PDP for the Sabah Pan Borneo Highway Project.

In other businesses, MMC also owns Aliran Ihsan Resources Berhad, a water treatment plant operator and operates Senai International Airport, Johor Bahru, a major aviation hub and the main air transportation gateway to Iskandar Malaysia. Surrounding the airport is an area covering over 2,718 acres known as Senai Airport City which is being transformed into a major integrated industrial and commercial development.

For more information, visit www.mmc.com.my 

For further information, please contact:

Ahmad Shahriman Johari 
Head, External Communications 
Sime Darby Berhad 
Tel: +(603) 2711 0923
Mobile: +(6019) 333 8320 
Email: shahriman.johari@simedarby.com

Azlina Ashar, 
Head of Group Corporate Communications, 
MMC Corporation Berhad 
Tel: +(603) 2071 1124
Mobile: +(6019) 668 8990
Email: azlina.ashar@mmc.com.my