Port of Tanjung Pelepas
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The Port of Tanjung Pelepas (abbreviation: PTP) is a port for container ships located on the eastern mouth of the Pulai River in south-western Johor, Malaysia. Receiving its maiden vessel on 10 October 1999 on a three-month trial operation, it set a world record as the fastest growing port with 1 million TEUs of containers handled after 571 days of operations. The good performance sealed the port's fate, and it was officially launched by then Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, on 13 March 2000.
Growth
The port continued to register spectacular growth. At the end of 1999, the terminal handled 20,696 TEUs, which rose to 418,218 TEUs in 2000, 2.05 million in 2001, and 2.66 million in 2002. By 2003, it handled 3,487,320 TEUs, outstripping Port Klang and thereby establishing itself as Malaysia's largest port. In 2004, it registered a 15.2% increase to 4,020,421 TEUs, and came in as the world's 16th busiest container port.
This accelerated growth hinges on the ports proximity to the busy sealanes on which the Port of Singapore derived its growth and sustainability from for nearly two centuries. Positioning itself as a choice alternative to Singapore's terminals, it highlights its proximity to the Tuas Second Link which leads to Singapore. Sustained growth after 2000 was also largely possible as Maersk Sealand, the world's largest container ship operator, took a 30% equity stake in the port's holding company, Seaport Terminal in a deal concluded on 17 August 2000, effectively shifting all of Maersk's operations to the new port from the Singaporean port by the end of that year. Maersk was once the largest operator in Singapore, and the shift represented a 10% drop in business there. The move was all the more significant, as Maersk thereby loses its preferential customer status in the Singaporean port, in favour of its preference in having a direct way in port operations by investing in them, something PTP was willing to do while Singapore was not.
In 2002, Evergreen Marine Corporation, then the world's second largest shipping company after Maersk, also shifted its operations to PTP from Singapore. This event raised alarm bells in the Singaporean port, with widespread speculation in the shipping community that Evergreen's endorsement of PTP demonstrated that Maersk's move may not be an isolated one. Other lines, including K Line, Mediterranean Shipping Company and Safmarine made their presence at the newer port.
Facilities
The current port occupies 7.83 square kilometres of land, mostly reclaimed from the sea. The first phase offers six berths, each at 360 metres in length, and collectively totalling 2.16 kilometres of quay length. The container yard behind the berths has about 110,000 TEUs in storage capacity and 2,100 reefer points, with room for further expansion. The berths are serviced by 24 Super Post Panamax quay cranes, ten of which have a 22 box outreach and twin lift. The first phase has a handling capacity of 4.5 million TEUs.The port has a naturally deep harbour with a maximum draft of 15 metres, and its turning basin of 600 metres allows for ships of any size to turn easily.
Phase two of the port is currently underdevelopment. Two new berths were opened in 2004 with a maximum draft of 19 metres, which allow future ships of up to 250,000 tonnes displacement to berth. With a quay length of 720 metres, they increase the handling capacity of the port to 6.0 million TEUs. Another six berths are currently under construction. Three new quay cranes are expected to be put into operation in the fourth quarter of 2005, while the container yard's capacity will be increased to 154,000 TEUs.
External links
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