ASEAN Ports Association Malaysia (MAPA)

JOHOR BAHARU, Dec 31 (Bernama) — The Port of Tanjung Langsat (PTL), in Pasir Gudang, will emerge as the leading chemical logistics hub in South East Asia, given the edge it has over its competitors.

Menteri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman said the port’s advantages were obvious although it has to compete with integrated petrochemical complexes in Pahang, Terengganu, and Pulau Jurong in Singapore.

Speaking to reporters after officiating PTL’s liquid cargo berth here today, he said PTL can boost of its deepwater facility and offered a far lower cost of operation compared with other ports.

TLP is the third port in Johor, designed to complement the Port of Tanjung Pelepas and Johor Port.

Positioning itself as Southeast Asia’s premier speciality terminal, it handles bulk cargo such as liquefied petroleum gas and dangerous chemicals.

“PTL’s strategic location in South East Asia will make it the leading port for bulk liquid cargo handling.

“Besides being very spacious with a 4.5 kilometre shoreline fronting the Straits of Johor and depths of 12.8 metres, the port can accommodate large vessels,” he said.

Johor Corporation, which owns PTL, has invested RM300 million to develop five liquid cargo berths.

Its President and Chief Executive, Tan Sri Muhammad Ali Hashim, said another RM600 million would be invested to install additional berth facilities at the port.

By 2012, Johor Corporation would have invested more than RM1 billion and, todate, has invested about RM500 million to develop itself to complement the nearby Tanjung Langsat Industrial Estate.

With the completion of the PTL’s liquid cargo berth, the port can now handle 26 million metric tonnes of liquid cargo annually, making it the biggest liquid cargo port in the country and region.

The PTL berth will also serve Langsat Bulkers Sdn Bhd, a joint-venture between PTL and Felda Johor Bulkers.

As for activities at the complex, Abdul Ghani said Asiaflex Products Sdn Bhd which was in the midst of completing a RM500 million flexible pipe factory, was planning additional investments to produce high-tech “Umbilical Cords”.

Besides, South Korea’s Kiswire Neptune is planning to invest RM250 million to manufacture steel wire ropes at the integrated complex.

Global logistics provider Agility has opened a logistics hub in Kuala Lumpur, boosting the company’s total warehousing capacity in Malaysia to over 34,000 sq m.

The new 13,000 sq m facility in Bukit Jelutong, Shah Alam, has 12 loading docks and 14,000 pallet positions and dedicated areas for pick and pack, kitting to line operations, consolidation and deconsolidation, cross docking, Reliability, Maintainability and Availability (RMA) programmes and reverse logistics.

The new facility includes an office facility of close to 3,000 sq m, which will become the new headquarters for Agility in Malaysia.

“Agility is committed to building its logistics network across Southeast Asia and the opening of our new facility in Malaysia demonstrates our commitment to supporting our customers through improved services and facilities,” said Agility chief executive for Asia-Pacific, Wolfgang Hollermann, in a statement recently.

The facility is 45 minutes from Port Klang and the KL International Airport in Sepang. Within the facility, 5,000 sq m will be utilised as a bonded area, with the remaining 8,000 sq m non-bonded and used for general cargo.

Target industries for the facility will be apparel, chemicals, engineering and industrial equipment and telecommunications.

As part of the company’s dedication to protecting the environment, efforts were also made to “green” the new facility.

For example, material handling equipment in the new facility is either electrically-powered or liquefied petroleum gas-powered, with the use of diesel-powered equipment being minimised.

The warehouse roof was specifically designed with strategically placed skylights to maximise the use of natural light and minimize power requirements.