Malaysia will take several measures to protect port operations following shipping disruptions stemming from the war in the Middle East, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said on Tuesday.
The measures include clearing empty containers from port areas, and working to establish mechanisms to address issues arising from higher fuel costs, Loke said in a statement on social media.
Loke met port management, shipping companies, and maritime authorities to plan measures to mitigate impacts from the conflict and blocking of the Strait of Hormuz.
Such crises often cause congestion in our country's ports as containers from conflict areas are left behind by shipping companies, affecting daily import and export operations, Loke said.
Port authorities and management will conduct more thorough inspections to ensure containers without a clear destination are not unloaded at the country's ports, he said.
The government is also working to assist Malaysian vessels stranded in the Middle East, Loke added.
(Reporting by Rozanna Latiff and Danial Azhar; Editing by John Mair)