Lorries Breaking Their Limits And Terminal Grounds

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Transport Minister Anthony Loke has stated that the government's firm stance against overloaded lorries will not change, despite complaints from the industry. He emphasized that overloading poses serious risks to public safety and causes significant damage to roads..— KK SHAM/The Star
GEORGE TOWN: Every time cargo container lorries from southern Thailand arrive, officers of the North Butterworth Contai­ner Terminal (NBCT) become extra alert.
A source in NBCT said they have to be wary of severely overloaded containers.
"If the maximum allowed weight is 30 tonnes (weight of lorry and cargo combined), we find that sometimes they weigh 40 to even 45 tonnes.
"The most common goods are rubber products. They pack the containers so full," said the source, who asked not to be named.

He said overloaded containers may damage NBCT's infrastructure and machinery, besides posing a risk to ships and receiving ports.
"The asphalt on NBCT grounds often breaks when the containers are too heavy, and we have to regularly re-pave our grounds.
"I can't imagine the damage they can do to public roads, expressways and bridges," he told The Star yesterday.
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Penang Port Sdn Bhd (PPSB) commercial head Nazri Ismail confirmed that while strict weight limits are observed, a degree of flexibility is being allowed at this time, particularly for long-haul lorries from out of state.
“We tell them to unload the excess cargo into another contai­ner and re-weigh so the goods can still be shipped out. We are strict with local movers, and any hau­lier who continuously flouts the regulation will not be allowed in," he said.
Nazri said PPSB closely monitors compliance with the Penang Port Commission (PPC) and the Road Transport Department (JPJ).
“Come Jan 1, the rules will be strictly enforced with no exceptions,” he stressed.
Association of Malaysian Hau­liers (AMH) northern region secretary A. Tanggeswaran confir­m­ed that local hauliers do not dare to drive overloaded containers into NBCT due to the strict weigh-in procedures, newly-installed weighing bridges and the Cargo­Move digital booking system, which automatically rejects any load exceeding the permitted total vehicle weight.

"But we are asking for some breathing space so hauliers can adjust without disrupting port activities,” he said.
Tanggeswaran, whose company operates 70 prime movers, said only 30 units have been converted to the new 48-tonne classification so far.
“It is costly and takes time. We won’t meet the Dec 31 deadline," he added.
The PPC, which falls under the Transport Ministry, began full enforcement on June 1, introdu­cing weighing bridges and digital gate screening to prevent overweight trucks from entering or leaving the terminal.
The move follows a resolution by the National Logistics Task Force chaired by the Transport Minister to curb road damage, promote fair competition and enhance safety.
AMH executive secretary Moha­mad Azuan Masud said members supported the initiative from the start, but are struggling with bottlenecks in processing.
“Hauliers welcome the simplified upgrading process known as the Simplified Operating Quali­fi­ca­tion Certificate, which the Trans­port Ministry said could be done within 20 working days.
“In reality, there’s a long queue at JPJ’s Automotive Engineering Division, the Land Public Trans­port Agency and state branches.
"These bottlenecks are slowing everything down," he said. - Star

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