Despite adequate port facilities in Malaysia, the government decided on the development of a new port at Tanjung Pelepas in Johor to address the future need for deep waters
and unlimited expansion possibilities.

The chief operating officer of Mohd Sidik Shaik Osman said PTP has been designed to cater to the largest of container vessels and with the rate vessel sizes are increasing, Malaysia will always be able to be attractive towards these lines.

He said government’s commitment to the development of the port sector in the country had been followed through with the liberalization of the haulage sector, proposed formation of the National Port Authority and the levy exemption from PTP to Singapore and vice versa were all essential to ensure competitiveness.

“It is now up to the ports to ensure that they are able to capture additional cargo,” he said in a paper presented on the Malaysian ports sector at the two-day Asian Shipping Convention in Singapore recently.

 Mohd Sidik also touched on the possibility of PTP offering its expertise to other ports abroad through investments and also possibility of consolidation with other key local ports.