Port of Tanjung Pelepas hits 6m teu mark

The Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP) recorded another year of growth in 2009 retaining its position as Malaysia’s leading container terminal.

PTP Chairman Datuk Mohd Sidik Shaik Osman said that PTP closed 2009 with a container throughput of 6m teu, 7.5% higher than 2008. This growth was achieved in a very difficult year for the industry, where many shipping lines and ports faced double digit drops in volume due the global economic downturn. The increased throughput was also achieved with lower overall costs given considerable pressure on rates during this period.

“We are fortunate to be one of very few ports in the world which recorded an increase in container volumes in 2009” Sidik said.

PTP managed to grow for a number of reasons. While existing customers contributed with new services, new volumes brought in by PTP's latest signing, French shipping line CMA-CGM also added to the numbers. There was also a 9% increase in local volume from the Johor industrial hinterland. More Johor shippers are now using PTP for their import and export needs and the port handled 20% of Johor’s hinterland cargo last year.

“We now have more shipping lines calling our port compared to the early years. Apart from Evergreen and Maersk Line, we have CMA CGM, MISC and other shipping lines providing direct services to many global destinations. Local cargo shipped out of PTP do not need to go through other transshipment ports before they can connect to bigger long haul vessels, as they are already calling PTP directly. This benefits the shippers as it reduces point-to-point transit time, eliminates the risk of missed vessel connections at other transit ports and provides end-to-end savings in the overall logistics costs,” Sidik said.

Sidik said that despite signs of the global economy recovering 2010 will clearly be a challenging year with lower operational costs for shipping lines being a key focus area. However, Sidik sees this as an opportunity for PTP which provides more efficient and cost-effective alternatives.

Source: Sea Trade Asia