18 - Tanjung Pelepas (Malaysia)

Much of the focus is on the port’s plan to deepen its draught to 18.5 metres

TANJUNG Pelepas continued to grow- albeit at a slow pace- in 2019, with a 1% increase in box handling last year.

Transhipment volume grew 1.4% year on year in 2019 and local cargo increased by 0.5% according to port authorities.

Throughput totats continued to be driven by a growing confidence among customers in PTP’s ability and flexibility to meet their needs and to deal with increasing volumes.

However, the port faces a major challenge in respect of its water depth and has plans to deepen its draught to 18.5 m, which will allow ultra large container vessels to call the port without any tide restrictions.

The channel is currently 18 m deep and this limits the available window for deep-draught vessels to enter the port.

Since free zone land is almost full, at a take-up rate of 95%, PTP has embarked on the next phase of the free zone expansion programme.

The extension of Pelepas Free Zone accounts for 100 acres of land, of which 56 acres will be reclaimed by the final quarter of this year.

With regards to digital processes, PTP has recently announced the successful going live of the first phase of its integrated enterprise resources planning system.

This will transform and streamline the company’s core back-end operations such as finance, enterprise asset management, inventory, human resources and procurement to keep up with the changing digital landscape.

Additionally, an asset digitisation project is also scheduled for this year to provide a full, digitised view of all terminal equipment.

In 2019, PTP signed a contract for the supply of eight new ship-to-shore cranes, which will be able to serve the ultra large container vessels with a capacity of more than 23,000 TEU.

Ten additional fully electrical twin lift rubber-tyred gantry cranes were also procured to support an efficient turnaround of bigger vessels, the port says.