KUCHING (March 5): The Roll-On-Roll-Off (RoRo) shipyard at Senari Port is on track for completion by the fourth quarter of this year, hopefully before the Sejingkat-Samarahan Bridge’s construction is finished, said Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas.

According to the Minister of Infrastructure and Port Development, the project is currently at 49.19 per cent completion and once complete, could enhance Kuching Port’s capacity by accommodating 2,500 vehicles at the Senari Terminal.

“(Once completed) Ships transporting cars will be able to find ample parking space here, as the storage in Pending will soon no longer be useable due to the construction of the Sejingkat-Samarahan Bridge and ships can no longer reach Pending due to that.

“Hence, our focus is on completing the shipyard before the bridge’s construction concludes,” he told reporters after the handing-over ceremony of two new quay cranes from HLG Equipment to the Kuching Port Authority at Senari Terminal Two here today.

During the event, Uggah highlighted the significance of the newly-acquired electric-powered quay crane units known as QC6 and QC7 in augmenting the operational efficiency and capacity of facilities of the Kuching Port Authority.

He said with these new cranes, container production capacity at the port is expected to rise to 310,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) this year – reflecting the economic recovery in which container production capacity reached 274,202 TEUs in 2023.

He added the advanced technology integrated into the cranes will facilitate the handling of larger vessels and cargo volumes, with Kuching Port set to elevate its container handling productivity from 26 to 50 Gross Movements Per Hour.

 “This capacity will bolster the port’s competitiveness and appeal to shipping and logistics line suppliers,” he said.

He also said the acquisition of the RM70 million cranes aligned with Sarawak’s vision of transitioning towards a green economy.

“Investing in modern and energy-efficient machinery not only enhances operational efficiency but diminishes the carbon footprint and mitigates the environmental impact of port operations,” he said.

Also present were Kuching Port Authority chairman Dato Awang Bemee Pengiran Ali Basah; Uggah’s ministry acting deputy permanent secretary Mustapha Adenan; Kuching Port Authority general manager Robert Lau; Ssarawak Department of Occupational Safety and Health director Jamadi Yusup; Harbour Link Group Berhad group managing director Dato Francis Yong; and Qingdao Haixi Heavy-Duty Machinery Co Ltd marketing director Winny Li Qiuhong.