Northport, Sojitz and NL Cold Chain to build Malaysia-Japan halal logistics network

PUTRAJAYA: Northport (Malaysia) Bhd, Sojitz (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd and NL Cold Chain Network (M) Sdn Bhd plan to establish the Malaysia-Japan halal value chain initiative.

The companies signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) today on the prospect of establishing an integrated halal value chain between Port Klang and Japan.

This would create an end-to-end logistics network and facilitate halal trade arrangement between Malaysia and Japan, they said in a statement.

The MoU was signed by Northport chief executive officer Datuk Azman Shah Mohd Yusof, Sojitz Malaysia managing director Ryuta Katori and NL Cold Chain CEO Koichi Iwahara.

The MoU is in tandem with an earlier memorandum signed by Entrepreneur Development Minister Datuk Seri Moha Redzuan Yusof and the Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Hiroshige Seko on more business opportunities in the halal industry between the two countries.

The agreement was signed in Tokyo during Redzuan’s working visit to Japan in November last year.

Under the MoU, Northport will provide integrated end-to-end logistics support and solutions for import and export of halal products through Port Klang.

Sojitz Malaysia will provide the required support and promote bilateral trade of halal products through its experience and network, while NL Cold Chain will provide halal logistical support for import and export of temperature-controlled cargo in Malaysia and Japan.

“This initiative is in line with the second wave of the Look East Policy under the stewardship of Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed,” Redzuan said in his speech at the signing.

“It is also in line with the Ministry of Entrepreneur Development’s aspiration to encourage more Malaysian halal products entrepreneurs to venture into the global market and also to take advantage of the upcoming Tokyo Olympic 2020 in Japan.

“These efforts will help to boost the SMEs contribution to the nation’s GDP which is targeted to be 41 per cent by 2020, as envisioned in the National Entrepreneurship Framework,” he added.

Azman said Northport was well-positioned to be the Ggateway for halal trade.

Northport is a subsidiary of MMC Ports, Malaysia’s largest port operator.

MMC Ports is a wholly-owned subsidiary of MMC Corp Bhd.

MMC operates Port of Tanjung Pelepas Sdn Bhd, Johor Port Bhd, Penang Port Sdn Bhd, Tanjung Bruas Port Sdn Bhd, Kontena Nasional Berhad and JP Logistics Sdn Bhd.

Sojitz Malaysia is an affiliate of Sojitz Corp, a well-established Japanese general trading company listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange with a worldwide network comprising about 400 group companies and operations in some 50 countries.

NL Cold Chain is jointly owned by Khazanah Nasional hd and the Nichirei Logistics Group of Japan.

It is a halal logistics cold chain company which offers a complete cold chain logistics solution leveraging on its 200,000 square feet one stop centre with modern facilities and logistics management system.

Source : NST