This 60 per cent represented containers shipped to customers located within the Pasir Gudang industrial estate and the Johor Port duty free zone.

Saying that PTP's main focus was to handle containers, Mohd Sidik described the new port as a more efficient and faster alternative for forwarders and shippers currently utilising Johor Port, as far as container movement was concerned.

"We will offer more and larger vessels, faster connectivity and shorter transit time for vessels, so there is no reason why they wouldn't want to use PTP.

"It's essentially our equipment and facilities that gives PTP a cutting edge over other existing ports in the country," he said after a site visit to PTP yesterday.

The company has targetted to handle two million containers over the first five years of operations.

He said PTP was equipped with the latest container handling equipment such as the "super post panamax" and "post panamax container" quay cranes which are capable of servicing even the most advanced container vessels.

"PTP also provides the latest rubber-tyred gantry cranes (RTGs), prime movers, trailers for quick and efficient cargo movement."

The company organised a site visit for some 35 members of the Johor Port Shipping and Forwarding Association to brief them of the facilities available.

PTP is scheduled to begin commercial operations in January 2000 with the completion of two of its six berths under phase one of the project.

Some of the other facilities under phase one include six liner berths stretching 2.16 kilometre, a container handling and storage area of 1.2 million square metre, a port administration building and Government agencies complex and the 5.4km access road between the port and the Second Link expressway.

With these key facilities, Mohd Sidik said phase one was scheduled to be fully completed by mid 2001 and would be able to handle an annual throughput of RM3.8 million TEUs.

He said, the total cost under phase one was RM4 billion, with construction of the six berths alone costing RM2.8 billion.

JPSFA president Alvin Tan who participated in the site tour said PTP offered a good alternative and modern port for industries and had all the elements to become the region's new transhipment hub for all main line operators (MLOs).

"As shipping and forwarding agents and terminal operators from Johor Port, we view the development at PTP as very important to our nature of business.

"If PTP is able to attract all the MLOs, the shippers here will enjoy better savings and benefits by exporting their cargos through PTP. This will ultimately boost the competitiveness of Malaysian goods in the international market.

"We believe PTP will post a greater base for us to service our clients in this region." He said.

Another member Osjay Shipping and Forwarding Agency Sdn Bhd director K. Jaya Segar expressed confident that PTP would have an immense effect on growth in this region.

"From what I have seen today (yesterday), PTP would be a port second to none based on its facilities and infrastructure and the investment and commitment shown by the company."