The Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP) in Johor-South-East Asia’s fastest growing transshipment port – is set to attract new shipping lines to the port.
 
Its chief executive officer Datuk Mohd Sidik Shaik Osman said the port has the capability of increasing its clientele due to the opening of new berths at Phasee II of its expansion.
 
When asked if the port was currently in talks with any shipping lines to hub at the port, he declined to name the shipping lines involved.
 
However, it is learnt that PTP was in the final stages of clinching a deal involving two shipping lines from Europe and East Asia recently until Singapore put up a better offer.
 
Sidik said the two berths, which are among eight planned under Phase II of the port development with a total cost of RM1.2 billion, can help increase the port’s container handling capacity from 4.5 million to six million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) annually.
 
“The new berths have been operational since July and we are ready to increase PTP’s capacity and boost its clientele,” he said in an interview.
 
He said the additional berths will allow PTP to offer more flexible and attractive options to new potential customers to suit their requirements.
 
In addition to Phase II, PTP already has six berths of 360m each, totaling 2.16km in length, and is backed by one of the largest container yards in the region, with a storage capacity of 110,000 TEUS at any one time.
 
“The new berths will help ease the traffic flow at the existing wharves and maintain its competitive edge over other ports in the world,” he said.
 
Sidik said there are over 10 shipping lines calling at PTP including two of the world’s largest – Maersk Sealand of Denamrk and Evergreen Marine Corp of Taiwan.
 
He said PTP handles about 340,000 TEUs monthly and by May this year, the port handled its 10 millionth-TEU in less than five years of operations.
 
“The development of the new berths is important for PTP to continuously attract potential users,” he said. “PTP also intends to give more attention to the development of the port’s hinterland.”
 
“We believe the Free Zone will play a major role in the future development of the port as an engine and catalyst for continued growth,” Sidik said, adding that the Free Zone has flourished with tenants like Schenker Logistics, Maersk Logistics and BMW. He said PTP’s Free Zone has shown very encouraging growth with many of its current tenant already enquiring for additional space keep up with demand.