31.   Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad complained last week that the country was losing millions of dollars because traders fed up with delays in Malaysia were using ports in Singapore.

32.   Similar threats were made by shippers using the ports of Newark and Elizabeth.

33.   Since the economic crisis has worsened, Malaysia has tried to encourage traders to use its ports to boost revenue.

34.   The docking port will be used by space shuttle Endeavour when it delivers huge solar panels in December.

35.   The embassy said the minister would also thank the U.A.E. for the hospitality it has extended to the many Royal Navy ships that use its ports.

36.   The government uses the port to transport soldiers, weapons and supplies to the northern war zone.

37.   The minister added that seminars will be organised by July to alert clients on the advantages of using the port such as faster movements of their goods.

38.   The ministry strongly denied U.S. suggestions that Ukrainian ports were being used for oil shipments to Serbia.

39.   The ministry statement refutes speculation that Vietnam is keen to let the U.S. Navy use the port as a way to counterbalance Chinese ambitions in the region.

40.   The port has long been experiencing difficulties in handling containers due to shortage of modern equipment and other facilities incurring huge loss to the companies using the port.