PORT KLANG & PORT OF MARSEILLES INK MOU TO BOLSTER M'SIA'S HALAL EXPORTS TO NORTH AFRICA

From Manik Mehta

MARSEILLES (France), Sept 24 (Bernama) -- Due to its important
geo-strategic
location and historic connections with former North African colonies, the Port
of Marseilles (PoM) in France has evolved into a European hub for trade and
commerce with Northern Africa.

Keeping this in mind, Malaysia hopes to expand its halal product exports to
Northern Africa, a region that embraces a huge market of 250 million Muslim
consumers.

To achieve this objective, Malaysia's Port Klang signed on Wednesday a
memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the PoM. Port Klang and PoM have
maintained a "port sister" relationship.

The MoU was signed by Kee Lian Yong, general manager of Port Klang, and
Jean-Claude Terrier of the PoM.

Low Pooi Choon of Sunship (M) Bhd Sdn of Kuala Lumpur, which represents
the PoM in Malaysia, said some programmes had been created to attract
investments from Malaysia to Marseilles.

Malaysian companies in the past had faced problems with PoM because of
strikes in France. "However, our programme has ensured that the air was
cleared," Low told Bernama.

Low was one of the members of a high-powered delegation of logistics
companies led by Matrade's deputy chief executive Mohd Kamarudin Hassan,
that visited the Port of Koper (PoK) in Slovenia from Sept 19 to 21, and the
Port of Marseilles (PoM) from Sept 22 to 25.

The delegation comprised 31 delegates from 21 organisations, one government
agency, two port authorities (Port Klang Authority and Johor Port Authority),
one port operator (Tanjung Langsat Port) and 17 other logistics service
providers specialising in total logistics solutions, customs brokerage services,
ship chartering services, warehousing and transportation.

The delegation made a strong pitch for Malaysia's logistics sector.

Following PoM's participation in Malaysia's last halal food exhibition
(MIHAS), Malaysian halal products exporters realised that the PoM could play a
crucial role as a halal hub, providing distribution and warehousing facilities
for halal food and other products bound for Northern Africa.

Asked if it would not make economic sense to go directly to North African
ports, Low said Marseilles offered better shipping, infrastructure and
banking facilities than many of the end destinations.

The MoU provides that companies would set up door-to-door services, with the
PoM working as a facilitator and private companies providing distribution and
warehousing services.

Two Paris-based logistics companies SDV Transport and SEAFRIGO will be
investing in facilities that will ensure halal-compliant standards, said Low.

Halal products will include food, shoes and cosmetics.

Port Klang is the 13th largest container port in the world with a free trade
zone that will have a halal hub in the near future, allowing shipments to move
on a "halal-hub-to-halal-hub" basis -- from Port Klang to PoM.

This will mean we will have free trade zones in Port Klang as well as in
PoM ... and both will be halal-compliant," Low said.

Meanwhile, Kamarudin underscored the importance of logistics for Malaysia's
economy. "Being a trading nation, Malaysia's trading volume is huge and this
requires a good logistics sector which will enable our cargo to move efficiently
and expeditiously.

"Malaysia wants to promote both its products and services sectors. This is,
incidentally, the first time we are leading a services delegation, focusing on
logistics, to Europe," Kamarudin told Bernama.

Kamarudin reinforced the view that both Port of Koper (PoK) and Port of
Marseilles (PoM) were of "vital importance" for Malaysia's foreign trade.

"The PoK is the gateway to Eastern Europe whose imports from Malaysia are
increasing. The PoM is important as an entry point not only for France but also
for Northern Africa. PoM, which has a good infrastructure, operates as a goods'
distribution centre for North Africa. Indeed, Malaysia is one of the top 10
trading countries with PoM," he said.

The delegates held 63 meetings in Koper and 70 in Marseilles.

"The meetings were not about just selling but more about building up
contacts and networking. We believe that there is good potential for business
in both regions.

"We were also advised to organise a delegation visit to Bosnia, Hungary and
Austria. We are looking into that possibility," added Kamarudin.
-- BERNAMA