The Port of Tanjung Pelepas is expected to maintain its position as Malaysia’s No.1 container terminal, beating premier terminals in Port Klang, with a new throughput record of over four million TEUs handled this year.  

This represents a 15% increase over last year’s throughput of 3.49 million TEUs, thus firmly establishing PTP as the nation’s largest container terminal in terms of containers handled. 

In comparison, Port Klang’s two terminals, Northport and Westport, are projected to handle 2.7 million TEUs and 2.6 million TEUs respectively by the end of 2004. 

Although primarily a transhipment port, PTP’s local cargo volumes have also shown very positive increases with an expected 25% rise in local boxes handled.  

PTP also offers shipping lines the highest productivity levels, consistently delivering over 32 moves per hour.  
The current world berth productivity record of 340 gross moves per hour that was achieved during operation on the vessel AP Moller in May this year was testament to the level of skill and professionalism of the ports operations.  

Over 4,000 containers were handled over a period of less than 13 hours with peak production reaching 480 moves per hour. 

PTP chief executive officer Datuk Mohd Sidik Shaik Osman said 2004 had been an excellent year for PTP. 
Rising global cargo volumes, he said, in particular the Asia–Europe routes resulted in strong overall growth.  
“The challenge for 2005 will be to maintain the momentum generated in 2004 and translate it into continued success.  

“The economic indicators appear to be positive with container cargo volumes set to continue to climb.  
“The global container fleet will see an increasing number of larger 8,500-plus TEU vessels coming into service.  
“The efficient handling of such vessels is a core strength of the port and we intend to capitalise on that strength next year,” said Sidik. 

The port is also the first Asian port to install the Kalmar SmartRail satellite guidance system for all its RTG yard cranes.  

The system virtually eliminates human error upon confirming and selecting containers during operations, avoids misplaced containers, reduces waiting time for the quay cranes during loading and discharge and provides 100% accuracy between container position in the port operating system and the actual physical location in the yard. 

This year, PTP continued with its expansion plans and two new berths were completed, adding an estimated 1.5 million TEUs to existing annual handling capacity.  

Additional container yard space is well under construction and should be operational by next year.  

New terminal equipment ordered includes three new quay cranes which will be capable of 40-foot container twin-lifts and 15 additional RTG yard cranes. 

Sidik said PTP’s aggressive expansion had put it in the unique position of being the only container terminal in Asia able to offer additional capacity to shipping lines.  

He said PTP’s Free Zone had also seen very strong growth this year with close to 100% take up of existing warehouse space.  

Sidik said the presence of companies such as Maersk Logistics, Schenker Logistics and BMW Asia within the PTP Free Zone was a sign of the international logistics fraternity’s growing confidence in PTP.  

“The activities of the Free Zone contributed more than 20,000 TEUs in 2003 and we expect an increase of 25% for this year. 

“We believe in the benefits of smart partnership as a driver for the future growth of the Free Zone and have begun to co-develop new terraced warehouses with an established local property developer and welcome further collaborations from other interested parties”.