Tanjung Pelepas – Malaysia

Volumes at Malaysia’s second biggest port grew by 7% in 2015, pushing it up one place in the WTCP rankings. Container traffic was given a major boost by the deployment of services from the 2M Alliance between Maersk Line and MSC, the world’s largest container shipping collaboration. 2M is following a dual transhipment hub strategy in the Southeast Asia region, utilising both the Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP) and Singapore.

PTP, which is a joint venture between utilities and infrastructure group MMC Corporation Bhd (70%) and APM Terminals (30%), is implementing a RM8.6bn (US$2.2bn) investment plan over the next 5-15 years.

The immediate plan is the comprehensive upgrading and refurbishment of quay cranes and rubber-tyred gantry (RTG) cranes and to replace PTP’s existing equipment. Once thus is complete, PTP’s annual capacity will increase from 10.5m teu to 13.2m teu.

Development of the third phase of PTP’s expansion is expected to take place in 2018. Phase 3A and 3B, which consist of six new berths totalling 3,000 m in length, will enable the port to increase its handling capacity to 22.2m teu before 2030.

Currently, the port has 14 berths measuring 5,000 m in length. PTP management the importance of continuous capacity expansion to its future growth as a major regional transhipment.

So far this year, the port has upgraded its vessel traffic monitoring processes with the inception of a Marine Resource management System (MRMS) and a Vessel Traffic Monitoring and Information System (VTMIS). According to PTP, using these systems will help it to reduce its carbon footprint.