In a statement on Oct 11, the port said total throughput handled during the third quarter of 2004 was 1.01 million TEUs, compared with 913,370 TEUs previously.

The rise in throughput during Jan-Sept 2004 period was fuelled by both local and transhipment traffic. Local cargo volume rose 16.17% % to 122,654 TEUs from 105,581 TEUs, while transhipment cargo jumped 20.33% to 2.90 million TEUs from the 2.41 million TEUs achieved a year ago.

“The rise in volumes is attributed to the continuing global economic upturn, the increasing market share of local cargo and the addition of new services calling at PTP,” the port said.

Total vessel calls increased to 2,378 for the first nine months of 2004 compared with 2,329 calls in the same period in 2003.

Berths number 7 and 8, which are part of the Phase 2 expansion programme, were completed during the third quarter. The two new berths would boost PTP’s handling annual capacity by another 1.5 million TEUs to more than six million TEUs.