PTP RECEIVES REGION’S TALLEST QUAY CRANES
4 new assets to complement 50 in operations
PORT of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP), a unit of MMC Group of Companies, became the first port in Southeast Asia to welcome the region’s tallest ship-to-shore quay cranes.
PTP said the super post-Panamax cranes stand at a lifting height of 55.5 metres and weigh 1,900 tonnes each.
The four new cranes form a part of the eight cranes ordered by PTP, with the remaining four cranes likely to be delivered by next month.
PTP chairman Datuk Seri Che Khalib Mohamad Noh said PTP had executed a series of equipment refurbishment and acquisition projects of RM500 million, enabling the port to create a new, full capacity berth to cater for mega vessels.
“By investing in state-of-the-art assets, we are further establishing our terminal as one of the best equipped and most technologically advanced terminal ports in the region,” he said in a statement.
Che Khalib said the investment was to ensure PTP progresses well with the rapid changes within the port and shipping industry and meet the growing customer demand.
PTP chief executive officer Marco Neelsen said as Malaysia’s largest transshipment hub, PTP operates with 14 berths measuring 5km of quay length.
“It is imperative for the port to increase its capacity to ensure future growth while still offering valuable business proposition to its clients,” he added.
Neelsen said the new quay cranes would complement the 50 in operation at PTP.
PTP also acquired 93 units of prime movers and 29 units of rubber tyred gantry cranes.
Neelsen said in terms of infrastructure upgrading, two berths would be upgraded to accommodate the new Triple E Cranes, while the capital dredging to deepen the channel was starting.
“With demographic changes and the rising globalisation as well as regional growth continue driving up the advance of container transport, the investments in port infrastructure, global supply and demand cycles have created stiffer competition between ports, especially in the region.
“Our investment towards comprehensive upgrading, refurbishment and replacement of terminal capacity and equipment is a true testament of our aspiration of becoming the preferred port of choice in the region,” he said.