Malaysia's port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP) is expanding its container handling facilities via four new berths. The additional berths "will help us achieve 12 million TEUs handling capacity by 2011," said PTP chairman Datuk Mohd Sidik Shaik Osman, who was speaking at Lloyd's IMS certificates award ceremony on Tuesday.
The total cost of the expansion - which will also involve the construction of backyards and machine installation - is about RM400 million ($128 million), he said.
According to Malaysia's Transport Minister Datuk Ong Tee Keat, PTP “should be able to achieve a target of 6.5 million TEUs this year”.
“This port is the only one in the country to pass the 5 million TEU mark. In the first quarter of the year, it has already handled 1.3 million TEUs,” said Ong.
Ong was also present at the ceremony where the port was awarded the Integrated Management System (IMS) certification from Lloyd's Register of Shipping. PTP is the first Asia-Pacific port to receive the certification.
Meanwhile, officials say construction works for the new berths will begin soon and the first two additional berths, 11 and 12, could be completed by mid-2009.
Construction on berth 13 and 14 is slated to begin next year and be completed by early 2010.
According to Osman, PTP is also developing a Free Trade Zone on a 141.64-hectare parcel of land and has so far successfully attracted multinational companies with RM3 billion ($960 million) worth of foreign direct investment.
The total cost of the expansion - which will also involve the construction of backyards and machine installation - is about RM400 million ($128 million), he said.
According to Malaysia's Transport Minister Datuk Ong Tee Keat, PTP “should be able to achieve a target of 6.5 million TEUs this year”.
“This port is the only one in the country to pass the 5 million TEU mark. In the first quarter of the year, it has already handled 1.3 million TEUs,” said Ong.
Ong was also present at the ceremony where the port was awarded the Integrated Management System (IMS) certification from Lloyd's Register of Shipping. PTP is the first Asia-Pacific port to receive the certification.
Meanwhile, officials say construction works for the new berths will begin soon and the first two additional berths, 11 and 12, could be completed by mid-2009.
Construction on berth 13 and 14 is slated to begin next year and be completed by early 2010.
According to Osman, PTP is also developing a Free Trade Zone on a 141.64-hectare parcel of land and has so far successfully attracted multinational companies with RM3 billion ($960 million) worth of foreign direct investment.