26 Jul 2007

PTP Records Double-digit Growth In 1st Half Of 2007

Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR, July 26 (Bernama) -- The Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP) experienced a double digit growth of 21.4 percent in the first half of this year, chief executive officer Harun Johari said today.

"Our growth during the first six months is due to the new services and the strong throughput recorded by the port's existing customers," he said in a statement here.

The port recorded a throughput of 2.7 million TEUs between January and June, and Harun is confident that PTP is on track to achieve its targeted throughput for 2007.

He said the growth for the first half of 2007 could also attributed to shipping lines deploying larger vessels which were passing more cargo through the port, and that PTP's Free Zone tenants were generating healthy volumes.

PTP is within the Iskandar Development Region (IDR) and is one of the very few ports in the world which has a Free Zone that is integrated with the port's terminal.

The Free Zone currently is home to various international logistics and manufacturing companies operating in the distribution parks within the zone.

Harun foresees PTP's high productivity rate, large container handling capacity coupled with the investment opportunities offered through the Free Zone perfectly complementing the development of IDR's planned integrated logistics and manufacturing hub.

The multimodal connectivity offered by PTP to shippers and other port users has also positioned PTP to be the international gateway for the IDR, he added.

Earlier this year, PTP had increased its container handling capacity when it opened two additional berths.

Noting that the port has unlimited expansion capabilities, he said the PTP will see the delivery of more cranes and other port equipment this year in anticipation of further growth in the future.