Port of Tanjung Pelepas hits 6m teu mark

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.