Evergreen Marine Corp. has begun moving mainline services from Singapore to the Port of Tanjung Pelepas in southern Malaysia, the second major line to weigh anchor after Maersk Sealand.

 

The Taiwan carrier will shift a number of services to Pelepas this week, beginning with the east and westbound China-Europe-Mediterranean (CEM), Far East Mediterranean (FEM) and West Coast-Asia-Europe (WAE) pendulum. The moves will add six weekly mother vessel calls at Pelepas, a port spokesman said.
Some smaller vessels have already begun using Pelepas - the 1,038-TEU Uni-Concord on the NSG feeder run jointly by Evergreen and affiliate Uniglory Marine Corp.; and Ever Apex, a 1,000-TEU NSB feeder. Both services connect PTP weekly with Taiwan, Hong Kong and Southeast Asian ports.
Pelepas handled just over 2 million TEUs in its second full year of operations in 2001.
Pelepas has also taken delivery of three of five quay cranes from MMC-ZPMC of Shanghai. Commissioning is planned by the end of September and two more cranes are expected by the end of October.
Each crane has a 22-box reach and twin-lift spreaders capable of handling two 20-foot containers at a time.
With the delivery, Pelepas has 22 super post-Panamax quayside cranes. The October delivery will bring the port's capacity to 4.5-5 million TEUs a year.
While Pelepas woos lines with lower rates than Singapore's PSA Corp. Ltd., as well as ownership of berths and other privileges, Singapore Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong in a recent speech said his country will do whatever is needed to maintain its position as the premier transshipment hub of the region, and that the government is "open to all options that will enhance the competitiveness of shipping lines hubbing in Singapore.