Singapore’s container throughput for the first three moths of this year was 3.68mil TEUs, down 13% year-on-year compared to the same quarter in 2000 when the port handled 4.23mil TEUs.

 

Maersk has shifted about 1.8mil TEUs, which were previously handled by the republic’s port, to PTP.

 

“We understand that the volumes in Singapore dropped 11% year-on-year in January and approximately 16% year-on-year in February 2001.

 

“This is most likely attributed to the immediate departure of Maersk Sealand,” said PTP Chief Executive Officer Mohd Sidik Shaik Osman.

 

“However, Singapore is the world’s leading port and in a short period of time, they will experience good growth level again,” he said.

 

Talking about PTP’s achievement in handling one million TEUs in 571 days of operation on May 4, Sidik said the management and staff felt proud because they achieved it under tremendous opposition and challenges.

 

“The challenges we could face. But although opposition to a new port from a few quarters was to be expected, this was something that was difficult to overcome,” said Sidik in an interview.

 

He said although the 571 days is believed to be a world record, PTP cannot rest on its laurels by comparing this to other ports.

 

“In the 60s and 70s, when these ports were developed, trade was not significant in volumes. Trade was also import and export. It was only in the 80s and 90s that transhipment started to expand.

 

“This is PTP’s niche. Our fast start will now lead to greater achievements and towards our goal of establishing PTP as Southeast Asia’s leading transhipment center.”

 

Sidik said securing Maersk Sealand in August 2000, the surge of volumes was tremendous.

 

Although this was expected, the hastening of the shift resulted in challenges such as having too many vessels and not enough cranes, he said.

 

“We had to bring forward crane deliveries and also procure mobile harbour cranes.

 

“Labour was also in training and the core team of experienced staff assisted in ensuring that new staff were brought up to speed in the handling of our state-of-the-art technologies.”

 

He said from the one million TEUs, more that 90% constitutes transhipment cargo.

 

“This will always be our main cargo base and demonstrates PTP’s role as the nation’s leading transhipment center.

 

“Now that the port is fully established, local shipper volumes are steadily increasing.”

 

On PTP’s next challenge, Sidik said it would be to achieve one million TEUs in one year.

 

“We are confident of reaching this before the third quarter of this year. This year’s forecast handling is still expected at around two million TEUs.

 

“Our abilities to bring forward the additional 22-box crane deliveries which will assist in increasing capacity and thereby attract more customers.”

 

On reports about mainlines pulling out and reducing their calls at PTP, Sidik said the only main line that has stopped one regular weekly service at PTP was Mitsui OSK Lines, which attributed it to tight connections.

 

Apart from that, he said PTP as a new port will continue to attract other main lines which are now determined to take advantage of the growing opportunities in the transhipment trade at PTP and their ability to capture both local and Singapore cargo via road.

 

“We are confident that this will come. PTP is a common-user port fro all main lines.

 

“The present start-up due to the size of Maersk Sealand as the world’s largest container line brings added benefits as most main lines are now convinced of PTP’s ability to serve the largest container vessels plying the world’s oceans.”