"As negotiations are ongoing, it is premature at this stage to speculate that a large shipping line is looking at management and operations of PTP," the port said in a statement yesterday in response to a newspaper report saying Maersk Sealand will be moving its base to PTP.

The report said Maersk - Sealand has acquired a 30 per cent stake in the RM2.4 billion port located at the South - West of Johor.

PTP said its current focus is to build on common feeders.

"We will most likely by increasing talks with main lines once the South-East Asian and South - Asian feeder network is established".