PUTRAJAYA, Dec 21 — Israeli-based shipping company ZIM needs to remove 4,000 transhipment containers still stranded in the country, especially at Port Klang, soon, said Transport Minister Anthony Loke.
This follows the government’s decision yesterday to restrict and disallow the company’s ships from docking at any port in Malaysia with immediate effect.
“ZIM handles all of these containers. So when we take this action by prohibiting them from docking, this shipping company needs to contact other shipping companies to transport these containers out in the near future to their next destination,” he said.
Loke was speaking at a press conference after the signing ceremony of the Lease Agreement between MRT Corp and the Federal Commissioner of Lands today.
He added that ZIM will be given a little time to manage all the stranded containers as it involves various destinations.
In a statement yesterday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced the government has decided not to allow ships flying the Israeli flag to dock in the country with immediate effect.
Additionally, any ship en route to Israel is prohibited from loading cargo at Malaysian ports.
He said the government is confident that these decisions will not affect the nation’s trade activities.
— Bernama
