This is despite claims that the Singapore firm has yet to ink an agreement with the fledgling Malaysian port.

"They have already made their first call at PTP,'' said a shipping source. Another shipping source confirmed this, adding that Sembawang Kimtrans -- the listed associate of Singapore government-linked SembCorp Industries -- has an arrangement to provide 16 sailings a week when fully operational.

However, PTP declined to comment on a report in The Straits Times yesterday that it may have jumped the gun on Wednesday when it said Sembawang Kimtrans will provide its maiden feeder service between ports of the two countries.

Peter Tan, managing director of Sembawang Kimtrans, could not be reached for comment yesterday.

An industry official said PTP and the Singapore marine firm might have downplayed their business dealings so as not to antagonise PSA Corporation, the operator of the Singapore port.

Located at the southern tip of Malaysia, PTP will be built up over the next 20 years in the hope of becoming the main transhipment hub of the region, a role played by Singapore at present.

Although it is less than one year old, the Malaysian port has dealt a serious blow to PSA Corp when it clinched Maersk Sealand as its client in August this year.

Maersk, the world's largest shipping company, will channel 2 million TEUs (20-foot equivalent units) to PTP by next year.

But the Maersk move alone will not dent PSA Corp's reputation as the busiest port in the world.

Last year, more than 141,000 vessels called at the Singapore port, according to the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore.

Total cargo tonnage reached 326 million tonnes, up from 312 million tonnes in 1998. Container traffic grew by 5.3 per cent to 15.94 million TEUs.