Pelepas eyes 40% jump in container handling in 2002
Business Times Singapore
(KUALA LUMPUR) The Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP) expects to handle close to 2.8 million twenty equivalent units (TEUs) of containers this year, which will represent 40 per cent growth over last year, chief executive officer Mohd Sidik Shaik Osman said.
'With Evergreen's shift to PTP in the last quarter of this year, we are confident of surpassing 2002's target of 2.5 million TEUs,' he said.
Up to end-October, the port had already handled approximately 2.1 million TEUs compared with throughput of 2.05 million TEUs for the whole of last year. And for 2003, PTP is also eyeing a further 40 per cent growth in its container handling to 3.5 million TEUs, he said in an interview with Bernama.
Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad earlier this year had revealed his target of seeing PTP emerging as the country's largest port in 2005, handling more than 10 million TEUs annually.
Among the major milestones for PTP this year was Taiwan shipping giant Evergreen Marine Corp's shift from Singapore. Other shipping companies using PTP include the world's largest shipping company, Maersk Sealand, which had also transferred its operations from Singapore.
'We will not rest (in our effort) to acquire and influence more shipping lines to call at our port. In fact we are in the midst of dealing and negotiating with some of them,' Mr Mohd Sidik said. - Bernama