LABUAN: Services offered by the Labuan Port have improved with its privatisation in 2020 and it is now eying cruise ships, says Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili.

The Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah and Sarawak Affairs) said the turnaround time for vessels docking at the port had improved from about three days to just 24 hours.

Speaking after visiting Labuan Liberty Port (LLP) concessionaire Megah Port Management (MPM) on Saturday (Sept 3), he said the newly renovated and reorganised port would encourage new opportunities and businesses that would benefit the islanders.

“During the briefing, I was told that the port operates on a 24-hour schedule, which means a vessel that docks at the port will be cleared in just within a day, cutting down the client’s operation cost,” said Ongkili.

He added that with some 300 staff within the group, its chief operating officer (Datuk Seri) Patrick Tiong Chiong Kui said they are also exploring other businesses such as cruise ships to boost Labuan’s tourism sector.

Ongkili is on a three-day working visit to Labuan.

MPM submitted its tender to upgrade the facility in September 2019 and was awarded the project in January 2020 and took over the LLP in April the same year.

“The upgrading work cost MPM some RM8mil, which saw tremendous difference from its previous condition.

“It is not easy, especially since it was carried out during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, but they managed to work it through and had developed the port by leaps and bounds,” said Ongkili.