PTP In RM8.5b Capacity Expansion

MMC Corp Bhd’s subsidiary, Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP), will invest more than RM8.6 billion to improve its capacity over the next five to 15 years.

MMC group managing director Datuk Seri Che Khalib Mohamad Noh said the immediate plan was to embark on a comprehensive upgrading and refurbishment of the quay cranes and rubber-tyred gantries, and the replacement of equipment.

“This would allow us to increase the handling capacity from the current 10.5 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) to 13.2 million TEUs annually. This will be followed by the development of Phase 3, which is expected to take place in 2018.

“Phase 3A and 3B, which consist of the six new berths of 3km in length, will enable us to increase our handling capacity to 22.2 million TEUs before 2030,” said Che Khalib, who is also PTP chairman. PTP, the country’s biggest single port operator, has 14 berths measuring 5km in quay length. Che Khalib said as one of the fastest-growing ports in the world, PTP was committed to increasing its efficiency and productivity level.

“The expansion is to ensure that PTP remains competitive in the market and ultimately become the most preferred transhipment port in Asia,” he said after a working visit by Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin to the port on Tuesday.

Khaled said Johor had experienced tremendous economic and development transformation over the years, rising to become one of the fastest-growing economies in the region. “We acknowledge the contribution PTP has made to the growth of Johor.”

He said the PTP expansion would create more job opportunities for the locals and position Johor as a regional economic power house.