Port ban: ZIM must find new carriers for thousands of stranded containers - Loke

PUTRAJAYA - Approximately 4,000 containers temporarily stranded at the Port of Klang due to the recent ban on Israeli shipping company ZIM must be removed shortly.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook clarified that ZIM is responsible for arranging alternative shipping for these containers.

"ZIM must contact other shipping lines to ensure these containers reach their final destinations," Loke told a press conference following the signing ceremony of a lease agreement between MRT Corporation and the Federal Land Commissioner (PTP) today.

He stressed that the stranded containers are primarily transshipment cargo previously handled by ZIM.

Loke identified these containers as transshipment cargo managed by ZIM.

"We understand the complexity of this situation as the containers have various destinations and cannot be handled by a single company all at once.

"ZIM has been granted a reasonable timeframe to manage this process.

"Not a single shipping company can handle these 4,000 containers all at once," Loke acknowledged

This development follows Malaysia's recent ban on ZIM vessels docking at any of its ports, effective yesterday.

The ban also extends to ships flying the Israeli flag and those heading to or from Israel.

This decision was made in response to Israel's actions deemed incompatible with international law and basic humanitarian principles, particularly concerning the ongoing conflict in Palestine.