Since Maersk Sealand commenced weekly calls at the port on a number of its trades including its US-Europe service in early June, and calls from NOL's West Asia Express, PTP has seen a surge in volumes.

In the first six months of the year, PTP handled a total of 48,670 TEU, with 61.1 per cent of that figure being handled in the first quarter. Total ship calls in the first six months totalled 188, with a large number of Maersk Sealand's S and K class vessels calling. Average productivity levels were consistently maintained at 23 to 25 moves per hours per crane during this period.

On volume breakdown, 69 per cent of the total throughput in the first six months was transshipment cargo with the remainder comprising import and export cargo.

PTP maintains that its key advantages are a minimum diversion time from the international shipping lanes and a deep draft container terminal able to serve all shipping lines efficiently.

PTP is now confident that the second half of the year will see a surge in volumes as both Maersk Sealand and NOL have increased local marketing efforts and the services have now been well established in the local and regional markets.

From July 1 to 26, the tide turned for the port, with volume surging to 24,700 TEU, the highest ever recorded by PTP in a single month after less that a year since beginning operations. The figure is close to its total throughput for the entire second quarter.

With PTP targeting a significant increase in services in September and October 2000, the port is shooting for an ambitious total throughput of 450,000 TEU by the end of the year.

To cater for this expected growth in demand, PTP plans to install five more super post-panamax quayside cranes, bringing its total number of quayside cranes to 14. Delivery of these cranes will be scheduled in line with the completion of PTP's berths five and six and the remaining blocks of container yard.

In addition, the ports number of rubber-tyred gantry cranes will be increased from 24 to 46 by the end of 2001.

PTP will build a number of additional warehouses during the second half of this year and is presently locked in negotiations with a number of multi-nationals for team to establish their distribution centres in PTP.

PTP's target in this area is to recapture the constant flow of cargo across the causeway. This will also lead towards the fulfillment of its policy of reducing local cargo leakage.

PTP is located on a 1,940 acre green-field site on the southwest shoulder of Johor, some 45 minutes away from the confluence of international shipping lanes.