By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Aug 14: The Kuching Port Authority (KPA) has clarified that its Pending Terminal will not be affected by the new Sejingkat-Samarahan bridge, as the terminal has been repositioned to focus on domestic trade cargo within Sarawak.
KPA said the Pending Terminal remains operational at all times and continues to handle cargo and maritime activities, including the export of live pigs to Singapore and Selangor.
“Sarawak continues to export live pigs to Singapore and Selangor through the Pending Terminal since November 2017.
“Export throughput is about 14,000 tonnes per year. Between January and June 2026, there are altogether 179 ship calls at Pending Terminal, resulting in a throughput of about 217,600 tonnes,” it said in a statement today.
The authority was responding to recent comments by Padungan assemblyman Chong Chieng Jen, who questioned the future of Pending Port and alleged that construction of the Sejingkat Bridge had restricted vessels with an air draft of more than 26 metres from reaching the terminal.
Chong had said the restriction effectively limited the terminal’s ability to handle certain bulk cargo and roll-on/roll-off (Ro-Ro) vessels, accelerating the transition of remaining operations from Pending Port to the downstream Senari Port.
He had also raised concerns that Senari Port’s expansion, which could take one or two years, could result in bottlenecks as more operations are shifted there.
Meanwhile, KPA said Senari Terminal would be utilised as a multipurpose terminal as it experiences an increasing number of ship calls.
It will handle containers as well as general cargo such as Ro-Ro vehicles, project cargo, wheat, rice, maize, soy and fertilisers.
“The terminal is well positioned to meet market demand by being able to handle increasing cargo volume in Kuching. This is in line with the projected GDP growth as per Sarawak’s development plan under PCDS (Post Covid-19 Development Strategy) 2030,” it said.
KPA said Senari Terminal was also ready to accommodate more Ro-Ro vessels, with a vehicle yard capacity of 2,500 units currently available and another 1,000-unit capacity expected to be completed by the end of 2026.
“Since January this year, 21 Ro-Ro vessel calls have been recorded at Senari Terminal, operated by the two main Ro-Ro operators,” it added.
KPA said the new bridge would not only ease traffic in the Kota Samarahan area but also increase the utilisation of both Senari and Pending terminals.
It added that Pending Terminal currently also serves Federal and Sarawak Coast Guard vessels, supporting maritime security in Sarawak waters.
The authority said the continued operation and complementary roles of the two terminals would enable Kuching Port to cater to growing cargo demand while supporting Sarawak’s economic development. — DayakDaily
