Logistics
Lahad Datu in Sabah seen as 'Rotterdam of the East'
By Daily Express
Mar 23, 2007, 17:16

The Netherlands and Sabah are "linking up" for a win-win situation, particularly in developing Lahad Datu Port as "Gateway to the East".

Netherlands Ambassador to Malaysia, Lody Embrechts, said this would entail sharing of know-how and expertise.

He was speaking in a Press conference after a briefing by Palm Oil Industrial Cluster (POIC) Sabah Sdn Bhd Chief Executive Officer, Dr Pang Teck Wai, here, Thursday. The briefing was also attended by Industrial Development Minister Datuk Dr Ewon Ebin.

Embrechts said his visit followed a discussion by the two parties less than a year ago on the ambition of Sabah in terms of developing the POIC logistics and facilities via upgrading the Lahad Datu Port and eventually becoming the "Rotterdam of the East". The purpose of the visit is two-fold.

Firstly, it is to promote the expertise of the Netherlands in the following sectors: Port development, agriculture (forestry, palm oil), oil and gas, infrastructure, logistics, and education and human resource training.

Secondly, it is an official visit of the Port of Rotterdam to underline the synergy in port development in respect to the activities of the Sabah Port Authorities and, in particular, POIC Sabah.

It is also to exchange views and experiences on the development in the palm oil sector and to meet present and potential customers. Apart from that, it is to introduce the Port of Rotterdam as the only certified halal hub in Europe.

The discussion also touched on timber export and timber-related issues with the concerned authorities and industries, and to discuss sustainable development and the use of biomass for energy production.

Embrechts' team comprised Port of Rotterdam Authority Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, Ger Van Tongeren, Netherlands Embassy Economic Section Head, Mrs Jacoba Bolderheij, Port of Rotterdam Authority Area Manager (Southeast Asia), Capt Kees Westrate, and Business Development Adviser, K C Lee.

Meanwhile, Ewon is optimistic that the Lahad Datu Port for its soon-to-materialise 20-metre deep jetty considered the deepest in the world could become a world leading port.

He cited that the Port of Rotterdam was itself a mere fishing village before its remarkable transformation.

By then, it would not just serve the BIMP-EAGA region, which has some 60 million potential customers, but be a gateway to other parts of the world as well, he said.

Ewon would be heading a delegation in May this year for a familiarisation trip to the Netherlands and for further dialogues and discussions as well as other possibilities.

Van Tongeren, on the other hand, noted there has been a lot of development on POIC and other industries.

"When we look at the total cargo coming from Sabah in the direction of Europe, the relationship between Sabah and the Port of Rotterdam is a good step."

In this context, the Port of Rotterdam mainly concentrates on the bio-diesel and palm oil cargo. "We have two refineries for palm oil," he said.

He said they would also share their knowledge in infrastructure. Future discussions would include bringing Sabah into the network in the provision of logistics.

According to Capt Weststrate, Rotterdam is the only European port that has been halal-certified. They have a halal logistic handbook, which takes care of the total certification from the factories to port till the final consumer.



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