Malaysia’s Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP), has reported container growth of 8% in 2020 as it maintains its role as a large-scale container transhipment hub port.
The total container volumes handled in 2020 reached 9.8 million TEU, representing a solid improvement over 2019, and this throughput was gained in spite of the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic
In 2010, the port handled just under 6.3 million TEU. Compared to the 9.8 million TEU for 2020 represents growth over the period of 4.5% per annum, highly respectable for an existing high-volume port reliant on transhipment demand.
The port confirmed spending of RM700 million (US$173 million) improving container handling capacity, capability and service efficiency through procurement of an additional eight Super Post Panamax (SPPx) cranes, 10 electrified rubber-tyred gantries (RTGs), and dredging of its navigation channel to allow the very largest new generation of ultra large container vessels (ULCVs) to more easily access the port’s container terminals.
The need to keep pace with growth in ship sizes, and the introduction of higher numbers of larger ships, on major trade routes, has driven the investment decisions at PTP.
At the same time, the need to utilize more technologically advanced equipment and systems has also been met.
In terms of the impact of Covid-19, PTP has acknowledged that the second quarter of 2020 represented “some challenges,” although the second-half of the year saw a strong surge in volumes as country borders opened before the second wave of Covid-19 gained momentum across China, Europe and North America.
The strength of the second half of 2020 was clearly seen with PTP generating new terminal performance records, most notably in December 2020, which resulted in handling of 967,783 TEU in total – the highest single month ever recorded at the port.
The ability to offset the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic is interesting, especially because the vast majority of major ports on a global basis are currently adding up how much total volumes were down for 2020 compared to 2019. Yet at the same time, there may also be some hub port locations whereby throughput might not be down on 2019.
For example, Panama’s container handling (including both coasts) came to 5.7 million TEUs for the January to end-of-September 2020 period – up by 5.4% over the comparable 2019 nine months.
Growth was clearly driven from the Pacific Coast over the period, with a strong 10.3% increase noted, and full-year 2020 figures are expected to be in positive territory.
Of course, the location and trades being served will be the driving factor here. Ports in North Europe handling transhipment, such as Rotterdam, that are more heavily exposed to the Asia-Europe trades, are probably less likely to see any volume improvements.
