The berths, 360 metres each in length, will provide an additional 720m to the existing 720m.

This will give PTP a total of 1,440m of linear quay length.

Remaining works are currently focused on three blocks of the container yard behind berths three and four.

The quay cranes (number seven and nine) were delivered in May.

PTP said their current plans was to have three quay cranes per 360m.

An additional three quay cranes for berth four will be delivered in October.

With the opening of two additional berths, PTP now offers increased flexibility to shipping lines with a guarantee of berth availability.

The container yard will also see a total of 14,750 ground slots available, ensuring that no bottlenecks occur on the yard area.

The rubber-tyred gantry cranes at the yard, which currently number 24, are capable of stacking five high.

With a large yard are, PTP is however only stacking three high in the interim period guaranteeing shipping lines of fast turnaround without delays at the yard.

The wharf is designed as an open pier with a submerged combined steel section front wall.

The wharf deck also has a width of 36.3m, which incorporates the cranes rail beams and has been designed to cater towards a depth of 16.5m

With container vessels on the drawing board which have a 10,000-TEU (twenty equivalent unit) capacity requiring deeper waters, the wharf design will enable PTP to undertake further dredging in the next decade if demand requires.

Other features of the wharf include the necessary installation of bollards suitable for working loads of up to 150 tonnes and Bridges tone type fenders with a rate reaction force of up to 158 tonnes.

These high-end specifications have enable PTP to receive the world's largest vessels with ease.

Maersk Sealand's 'S' class vessels with a length of 347m are currently the largest container vessels afloat with capacities of up to 6,600 TEUs.

Construction focus for PTP once berths three and four are operational, will be on the remaining facilities.

With increased demand, PTP is targeting end of 2000 for total Phase One completion.

Phase One o PTP includes six berths or 2.16km of linear wharf, 18 Super Post Panamax quay cranes and 58 rubber-tyred gantry cranes.

With a network that spans the Far East, Middle East, Europe and the US by Maersk Sealand, Mitsui OSK Lines and APL-NOL, PTP is also increasing efforts to speed up the development of the port backup container facilities which include comprehensive container maintenance and repair, off-dock depots, and built-up of land for distribution and warehousing facilities.

Synergies established between third-party operators for these facilities and the port will see value-added benefits with the port being able to attract existing customers of the operators.

PTP is confident that the growth at the terminal will also see growth of back-up facilities increase to significant spin-off benefits for all existing port users.