Tanjung Pelepas sees 2004 throughput above 2003 3.5 mln TEUs
AFX News
KUALA LUMPUR (AFX-ASIA) - The Port of Tanjung Pelepas expects container handling at the port in 2004 to exceed 3.5 mln twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), which is its targeted throughput for 2003, chief executive officer Mohd Sidik Shaik Osman said.
"PTP is always expanding and always bullish (about its performance)
and we expect that we will secure new customers (in 2004) so we are expecting further growth to more than 3.5 mln TEUs," Mohd Sidik told AFX-ASIA in an interview.
He declined to name the potential new customers or to give a specific forecast for 2004.
PTP expects 30 pct growth in 2003 to 3.5 mln TEUs, following a 30 pct rise to 2.66 mln in 2002 throughput which beat its own earlier estimate of 2.5 mln. In 2001, PTP handled 2.05 mln TEUs.
Mohd Sidik said 2003 will reflect its first full year operations with Evergreen Marine Corp, which started calling at the port in late August 2002.
Danish company Maersk Sealand is expected to ship about 2.2-2.3 mln
TEUs this year while Evergreen should account for 1.0-1.1 mln TEUs and
the rest from feeder services.
"PTP's strength has always been ... its ability to cater towards liner needs and a high rate of crane and vessel productivity. It is this overall efficiency that has determined our ability to compete," he said, noting PTP's turnaround average of 30-31 moves per hour per crane.
As part of measures to boost growth, PTP is developing a 'distripark,' or what the CEO calls "the land behind the port", and is also promoting ancillary port services such as bunkering and ship channelling.
The 'distripark' is a 400-acre free trade zone for distribution,
logistics and warehousing activities for regional operations and distribution centres, and another 600 acres of land have been reserved
for industrial activity.
Currently, majors such as Maersk Logistics, Kenwood's global distribution centre and Tiong Nam Transport Holdings Bhd operate
warehouses in the park.
Mohd Sidik said the idea is to set up an area for logistics and for businesses to warehouse and track movement of goods prior to shipping
them out to their respective end-markets.
The development of the distripark is still at an early stage with
some 20-30 pct take-up currently but PTP is in talks with interested
investors to locate to the site, he added.
Asked whether BMW AG is shifting its regional operations to the distripark, Mohd Sidik said: "We are discussing in a serious manner with BMW on its relocation." He declined to elaborate.
He said PTP is offering "a very competitive environment" to promote
the distripark to investors but declined to disclose details.
"The hubbing of Maersk Sealand and Evergreen ... will see significant spin-off both through feeders and the distribution park at PTP.
"To ensure continued growth and to stimulate demand, phase two (of the port), which will be completed by early 2004 presents PTP with a continued ability to attract large main lines," he said.
Phase two involves the reclamation and construction of eight additional berths. The physical construction of two berths are underway and are expected to be completed by year-end.
With the completion of the additional two berths, PTP will be able to handle about 6.0 mln TEUs annually by early 2004.
Going forward, "our performance in 2003 will depend on the creative
methods and the efforts we put in ... The main challenge and focus would
be to aggressively promote the opportunities available in PTP's free
trade zone status," Mohd Sidik said.