Port of Tanjung Pelepas becomes ‘the first’ in Malaysia to exceed 12 million TEUs in 2024

The Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP), a joint venture between MMC Group and APM Terminals, has passed a ‘major’ milestone, becoming ‘the first’ container terminal in Malaysia to handle over 12.25 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in a single year in 2024.

As disclosed, the 12 millionth TEU was recorded on the evening of December 23, 2024, surpassing its previous record of 11.2 million in 2021, which, at the time, was said to represent an annual increase of 14%, compared to 2020’s 9.8 million TEUs.

“By seamlessly handling such substantial container volumes, we have consistently delivered exceptional services to our valued customers and partners, contributing to Malaysia’s economic growth and reaffirming PTP’s position as one of the world’s most efficient and high-volume container terminals,” PTP Chairman Tan Sri Che Khalib Mohamad Noh remarked.

Sharing his thoughts on this recent development, PTP Chief Executive Officer Mark Hardiman added that the port’s goal is to sustain the momentum it has had so far.

“We have made extensive preparations for the future, focusing not only on port asset upgrades and infrastructure enhancements, but also on advancing our environmental, social and governance (ESG) agenda, strengthening safety policies, and driving our digitalization strategies,” he commented.

“These efforts ensure continuous improvements and expansions as we anticipate a significant increase in volume in the coming year.”

Since 2023, the Malaysian port has made several strides within the scope of its green endeavors. Back in September of that year, PTP was selected to join the Partnerships for Infrastructure (P4I) initiative, a government-to-government sustainability-oriented scheme between Malaysia and Australia.

As understood, the project aimed to be the driving force of Malaysia’s decarbonization efforts in the maritime industry as well as to foster ‘inclusive’ growth through eco-friendly infrastructure in Southeast Asia.

More recently, namely in December 2024, the port wrapped up its first methanol bunkering operation for a dual-fuel methanol boxship owned by Denmark’s shipping colossal A.P. Møller – Mærsk.

At the time, Tan Sri Che Khalib Mohamad Noh highlighted that this marked PTP’s ‘first-ever’ ship-to-container vessel methanol bunkering operation.