Pending Port Cargo Throughput Drops Sharply as Senari Faces Congestion Concerns
-
Pending Port handled about 217,500 tonnes of cargo in the first half of 2026, down from about 764,800 tonnes during the same period last year, figures cited by DAP Sarawak chairman Chong Chieng Jen show.
Chong, who is also Stampin MP and Padungan assemblyman, said the drop raised questions about restrictions on ships with an air draft exceeding 26 metres after the Sejingkat Bridge came into operation. Roll-on/roll-off cargo, mainly vehicles, fell from about 380,000 tonnes involving 27,347 vehicles in the first half of 2025 to 2,435 tonnes involving 15 vehicles this year.
He said cargo had shifted to Senari Port, where throughput rose from about 3.46 million tonnes to 4.12 million tonnes. Chong claimed the shift had caused congestion, longer vessel waiting times and cargo deliveries into Kuching taking one to two weeks longer.
Deputy Premier Douglas Uggah Embas said Pending Port remained fully operational. Kuching Port Authority general manager Robert Lau said Pending Terminal was being repositioned to handle suitable domestic cargo, while Senari handles vessels requiring greater clearance. KPA recorded 179 ship calls and about 217,600 tonnes at Pending between January and June 2026.
Changes in port handling can affect vessel waiting times and delivery schedules even when a terminal remains operational. Businesses moving cargo into Kuching should confirm the latest arrangement with the port authority rather than rely on a single political claim or an old estimate.
Hello! It looks like you're interested in this conversation, but you don't have an account yet.
Getting fed up of having to scroll through the same posts each visit? When you register for an account, you'll always come back to exactly where you were before, and choose to be notified of new replies (either via email, or push notification). You'll also be able to save bookmarks and upvote posts to show your appreciation to other community members.
With your input, this post could be even better 💗
Register Login