The Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP) has set a new throughput record by handling 4,020,421 TEU in 2004, an increase of 15.2% on the 2003 figure of 3,487,320 TEU.

Local cargo, which represented 4.17% handled by Malaysia's number one container terminal last year, increased by 12% from 150,000 TEU in 2003 to 168,000 TEU. Vessel calls rose by 1.3%, with 3,193 vessels calling at the port in 2004 compared to 3,148 in 2003.
 
PTP has also recorded average mainline productivity figures of 34.62 gross moves per hour last year, and currently holds the world gross berth productivity record of 340 gross berth moves per hour which was set in May 2004 when more than 4,000 containers were shifted in less than 13 hours, with peak production hitting 480 moves per hour.
 
Last year also saw the completion of the first two berths of PTP's second phase development program. With a water depth alongside of 19 metres, these new berths are designed to accommodate future generation container vessels up to 250,000 tonnes displacement.
 
PTP is also expanding its container yard capacity, and new facilities under construction and due for completion in mid 2005, will add an additional 40% to current yard capacity, bringing the storage capacity to 154,000 TEU from 110,000 TEU. Three new super post panamax cranes are due for delivery in the fourth quarter 2005, and PTP has also ordered 15 more RTG yard cranes, which will bring the total number up to 72 units.
 
Last year’s developments in the PTP Free Zone included the start of operations for new tenants such as the BMW Asia Pacific Spare Parts Distribution Hub, and PTP expects the Phase A Distripark of the PTP Free Zone to be fully occupied in 2005. Cargo volume originating from the Free Zone was up 20% in 2004 compared with the previous year.
 
Speaking on PTP's 2004 success, Port of Tanjung Pelepas CEO, Datuk Mohd Sidik Shaik Osman said: “Last year was a spectacular year for PTP. We handled more than four million TEU, we broke the world berth productivity record, the Free Zone became a hive of activity with many new world class tenants and for the first time a Malaysian port [PTP] was named Container Terminal of the Year.”