The ceremony was held in conjunction with the Ports and Logistics 2002 Conference and Exhibition at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Johor Baru.

 

The handing over of the tractors was witnessed by Transport Ministry Parliamentary Secretary Donald Lim Siang Chai who also officiated at the port and logistics conference.

 

Tractors Malaysia won the contract to build and supply the tractors to PTP early this year. The machinery will be used for port operations.

 

“PTP will strive to continually offer higher levels of efficiency and performance to its customers, and the upgrading of our existing fleet of terminal tractors for container transportation is one key area,” said Mohd Taufik.

 

Meanwhile, Tractors Malay- sia managing director Oh Teik Tatt said the company was encouraged by the growing volume of businesses at Malaysian ports.

 

He said with the increase in container movement, the company anticipates an even greater demand for terminal tractors within the next year.

 

“Since February 2000, we have been collaborating with Dutch-based Terberg Benschop B.V., which is Europe’s largest manufacturer of special vehicles, to customise and build special vehicles for the marine, industrial and distribution markets in Malaysia and the rest of the Asean region,” Oh said.

 

Terberg has been in operation since 1869 and established itself as a specialist manufacturer of powerful and well-designed vehicles over the years.

 

PTP is billed as the fastest growing port in the region, having handled 2.05 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in 2001 in only its second year of operations.

 

Phase One of PTP includes 2.16km of linear wharfline consisting of six berths of 360 metres each, a 110,000-TEU container yard — one of the largest container storage facilities in the region and 22 Super Post Panamax quayside cranes.

 

The handling capacity of Phase One of the port is 4.5 to 5 million TEUs per year.

 

The terminal operations are also backed by a state-of-the-art information technology (IT) network system with links to all port users to synergise its entire operations and communication centres.

 

The IT network system facilitates a free-flow of realtime information and provides near paperless transactions among shipping lines, forwarders, shipping agents and the port to ensure high productivity levels.