PTP Hits Six Million TEU Mark

The Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP) recorded another year of growth in 2009 retaining its position as Malaysia's leading container terminal.

PTP Chairman Datuk Mohd Sidik Shaik Osman said that PTP closed 2009 with a container throughput of six million TEUs, 7.5 percent higher than 2008.

"We are fortunate to be one of very few ports in the world which recorded an increase in container volumes in 2009" Sidik said.

"PTP managed to grow the port for a number of reasons. While existing customers contributed with new services, new volumes brought in by PTP's latest signing, French shipping line CMA-CGM also added to the numbers. There was also a nine percent increase in local volume from the Johor industrial hinterland."

More Johor shippers are now using PTP for their import and export needs and the port handled 20 percent of Johor's hinterland cargo last year.

"We now have more shipping lines calling our port compared to the early years. Apart from Evergreen and Maersk Line, we have CMA-CGM, MISC and other shipping lines providing direct services to many global destinations. Local cargo shipped out of PTP do not need to go through other transshipment ports before they can connect to bigger long-haul vessels, as they are already calling PTP directly," Sidik said.

"This benefits the shippers as it reduces point-to-point transit time, eliminates the risk of missed vessel connections at other transit ports and provides end-to-end savings in the overall logistics costs," Sidik said.

When asked to comment on the outlook for PTP in 2010, Sidik said that despite signs of the global economy recovering, he predicted an overall challenging year ahead and a continued focus on cost management by ports and shipping lines.