Najib's visit was also a strong gesture to underline the significance of PTP's role as a key driver to the developments of the newly launched Wilayah Pembangunan Iskandar, said PTP in a statement released here.

PTP, the international gateway to the southern region has been experiencing rapid growth over the past five years, proving itself as a successful regional distribution hub and trade and logistics centre.

Under its second phase development, an additional eight berths would increase the port's container handling capacity.

The first two berths under the second phase were completed in 2004, while two more are undergoing the final phase of their commissioning.

"The location of PTP at the southern tip of Peninsular Malaysia and at the confluence of the east west trade lanes going into the Malacca Straits makes it a strategically located port," its chairman, Datuk Mohd Sidik Shaik Osman said.

Hence, shipping lines should really look at PTP to make it their hub to serve not only South East Asia region but other parts of the world.

"PTP has been earmarked as one of the main drivers to help realise the government's vision to establish Johor into a regional logistics and distribution centre, which is one of the key projects identified under the South Johor Economic Region (SJER) masterplan," Mohd Sidik said.

PTP has indirectly contributed to more than RM13 billion in local and foreign investments for the state including about RM2 billion of foreign direct investment (FDI) in PTP Free Zone alone, he said.

This, he said has positioned Johor as the number one investment destination in Malaysia, ahead of Penang and Selangor, he added.

Last year, approximately 33 percent of FDIs in Malaysia was invested in Johor compared with only 23 percent in Penang.

-- BERNAMA