Profits were also helped along by savings made from the termination of a management service agreement.
Total revenue for the quarter up until 31 December 2013 rose 5.3% to RM502.63m (US$151.9m) from RM477.23m (US$144.2m) in 2012, with container volume rising from 6.9m to 7.5m teu.
Westports said that strong growth was largely experienced in both the transhipment and import and export areas which rose by 20%.
It expects container volume to grow between five and 10% in 2014 driven by these same areas.
To help support new growth, the operator is investing in its the new Container Terminal Seven (CT7) which is expected to be fully operational by the end of 2014. When it commences operations, Westports’ container handling capacity is expected to increase from 9.5m to around 11m teu per year.
The operator is also looking at further opportunities to increase throughput by tapping into emerging shipping routes in China, Africa and Southeast Asia, or growing its regional feeder network.
