Mr Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat transport minister of Malaysia said that the country is planning to implement a key performance index for all ports in the country to improve port efficiency.

He added that ''Among the things we will look at are profits and losses, quality of service and volume of business. I want all port operators to buck up and embark on a comprehensive branding exercise because as we progress, ports in other countries are also growing, especially those in China. The KPI will be in place as soon as possible."

Mr Ong added that Malaysia would be one of the 26 countries vying for one of 20 seats in category C of the International Maritime Organization Council during the elections on November 27th 2009.

Category A was reserved for major maritime trading nations, category B for major shipping nations and category C for countries with maritime interests due to their geographical spread.

He said that ''As such, Malaysia feels that its presence in the council is warranted given its long coastline and proximity to the major shipping route along the Straits of Malacca."

(Sourced from www.portworld.com)