MISC expanding

MISC Berhad, one of the world’s largest shipping companies, says it is expanding its presence in the Middle East with the opening of a new regional office in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

According to Amir Hamzah Azizan, President/CEO of MISC, the move to further strengthen their presence in the Middle East is in line with MISC’s strategy to become one of the leading players in the Intra-Asia Liner trade, with a focus on the niche Halal market.

“The Halal food industry in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries is estimated to be worth more than US$43 billion, and the Emirate’s food processing sector is expected to rise by 11 per cent annually,” says Azizan. “Recognising the high potential of Halal logistics here and in line with the Malaysian Government’s plan to turn Malaysia into a regional Halal Centre for Asia, MISC has launched several key initiatives to become a leading Halal player in the region.”

The company has launched the MISC Halal Express Service 1 and 2, which it says continues to increase in demand throughout the years. HES 1 is currently seeing 100 per cent slot utilisation and HES 2 is seeing 90 per cent slot utilisation, according to the company.

Secondly, MISC’s subsidiary, MISC Integrated Logistics (MILS), is in a joint-venture with Rais Hassan Saadi, to create an exclusive Halal Hub Facility in the region. The partnership links the MILS Logistics Hub (MLH) at Pulau Indah, Malaysia with the Air Cargo Hub in Dubai.

MISC says it also plays a strong role in the Middle East energy trade. The company has been transporting oil and gas to some of the region’s leading energy producers such as Yemen LNG and TOTAL. It says its new ground presence in the Middle East will see MISC play a bigger role in the regions oil and Gas future, as well as allow MISC to further enhance the transportation experience of their customers.