The Port of Tanjung Pelepas, Malaysia’s largest terminal by volume, is aiming for a container traffic growth of 11 percent this year.
“Last year, we grew by 15% compared with the industry growth of 7%. This year, the global container traffic is estimated to grow by 5.5% and we aim to double that,” PTP deputy CEO Azlan Shahrim told Malaysia’s The Star, adding that PTP would be handling more local cargo.
“This segment increased by 30% last year and there is momentum to do even more. We now have 26 shipping lines and box operators compared with just two lines in our early years. This significantly improves connectivity and frequency, so local shippers now have better access to the global market,” he said.
At the same time, PTP will continue to improve the quality of its services and build a team that could lift the organization to the next level, he added. “Advanced equipment and systems alone are not enough. Execution is what matters, and that relies on human capability,” he said.
PTP plans to add two more berths to cater to potentially higher demand. “This will increase our current capacity from 8.4 million TEUs to 10 million TEUs next year,” said Azlan.
He said they will also add capacity by improving productivity and enhancing the capability of their equipment. “For instance, we are enhancing our yard management and upgrading the capacity of our first generation quay cranes. So, we not only build more berths but also ensure that we handle more volume per quay metre within our existing berths.”
For PTP’s next phase of development, the plan is to add eight more berths to raise capacity to over 15 million TEUs. “This phase will require dredging and land reclamation. In fact, our long term master plan envisages a capacity of 150 million TEUs, five times the current volume of Singapore,” he said.
Last year, PTP recorded a year-on-year growth of 15 percent in volume to 7.5 million TEUs. A key contributor to the volume growth was the inclusion of PTP among the seven global ports participating in the new “Daily Maersk” service.
Azlan said: “This initiative by Maersk offers daily on-time delivery at the seven mega ports in Asia and North Europe, which is something new in the shipping industry. We are also pleased that volumes from our other existing customers such as Evergreen and CMA CGM have grown substantially.”
PTP also received new shipping lines in 2011, including Mitsui O.S.K. Lines and “K” Line, both of Japan, China Shipping, and four Korean lines—Hanjin Shipping, STX Pan Ocean, Sinokor, and Heung A.
Photo courtesy of PTP
