Port of Tanjung Pelepas to handle 7.5 million TEUs in 2011

MMC Corp Bhd's Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP) has emerged as the fastest-growing container port in the first quarter of 2011 and is on track to handle 7.5 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) for the year, Bernama reports.


In the first quarter of 2011, PTP's container traffic grew by 1.79 million TEUs, or 18 per cent, compared with a year ago.


MMC group managing director, Datuk Hasni Harun, said the remarkable growth was mainly due to higher volume from its main customers -- Maersk Line and Evergreen Group.


"PTP is poised to extend its uninterrupted annual volume growth, with a forecast volume of 7.5 million TEUs in 2011, up 15 per cent from the previous year," he said in an interview with Bernama on Wednesday.


In fact, the compound annual growth for PTP's throughput volume for the 10 years since 2001 is at 14 per cent, positioning it as a competitive port.


"PTP's double-digit growth is comparable with some of the leading ports in Malaysia as well as in the region," said Hasni, adding that it was currently ranked 17th in terms of the world's busiest container port in 2010.


Going forward, he said, PTP would benefit from an increasing customer focus on cost, which would lead to main liners opting for ports which offered better value proposition.


The productivity and efficiency of PTP's port operation is also internationally-recognised where its average quay crane productivity handling 35 gross crane moves per hour is of a world-class standard.


PTP also has the capacity to handle a sizeable 8.5 million TEUs.


Strategically located at the confluence of the world's major shipping lanes, PTP has 12 berths stretched over 4.3 km quay length and has the facility to accommodate the latest generation vessels that are generally large in size.


Johor Port, which MMC has 100 per cent, also serves as an important origination point for cargo, particularly from the adjoining Pasir Gudang vicinity, he said.


Johor Port manages the largest vegetable oil tank installation in the world and is one of the few ports in Asia which received accreditation from the London Metal Exchange (LME) as an approved LME location for its warehousing activities and facilities.


"This mature port continues to provide a steady annual income stream to MMC, where positive growth was recorded year-on-year," he said.


In 2010, Johor Port handled 15.7 million free weight tonne (FWT) of conventional cargo consisting of dry bulk, break bulk and liquid bulk cargo, an increase of nine per cent compared with the previous year.


The port's container terminal recorded a four per cent growth in container throughput to 876,000 TEUs driven by higher imports and exports volume.
(Source:http://en.portnews.ru)