Ports in Malaysia are established either as Federal or State Ports under the jurisdiction of the respective governments. In addition, there are also ports and jetties which are under the jurisdiction of the Marine Department, fishing ports and jetties under the jurisdiction of the Fisheries Development Authority and oil majors manning their own special ports.

Federal Ports
The Federal ports were established as Federal Statutory Bodies. Penang Port was established under the Penang Port Commission Act 1955, Bintulu Port under the Bintulu Port Authority Act 1981 and the other Federal Ports under the Port Authorities Act 1963. Under the Port Privatisation Act 1990, the operations of the Federal ports were either corporatised or privatised to private operators with the Port Authorities assuming a new role as the Regulatory Body of the private port operators.

State Ports
Ports in Sabah and Sarawak are state ports under State Statutory Bodies. Ports in Sabah are established under the Sabah Port Authority Enactment 1967 whilst ports in Sarawak are established under the Sarawak Port Authorities Ordinance 1961. In Sabah, ports have been privatized under one private operator, Sabah Ports Sdn Bhd with the Sabah Port Authority as the regulator. Ports in Sarawak are operated by port authorities, namely Kuching Port Authority, Rajang Port Authority and Miri Port Authority which own and operate the ports.

Minor Ports & Jetties
Minor ports and jetties are classified under three categories:
(i) those under the jurisdiction of the Marine Department Malaysia and administered under the Merchant Shipping Act 1952;
(ii) fishing ports and jetties under the jurisdiction of the Fishing Development Authority; and
(iii) terminals which are privately owned by oil majors, beach resorts and fishermen.

This page was last updated 17/09/07

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