Maersk is certain that Tanjung Pelepas (PTP), its strategic base in South-east Asia, will be able to withstand the demands of being the most significant global hub in the future Gemini Cooperation network. Evergreen’s much anticipated decision to leave PTP for Singapore seems to be underway as the alliance reorganization gets underway next week. With 20:12 calls on the VSA’s mainline Asia-Europe, Asia-Middle East, and transpacific deepsea routes, and 8 calls as the destination of its Asia shuttles, the Malaysian port has the most calls of any port in the Gemini network. Furthermore, Gemini’s worldwide dependability is probably going to depend heavily on its performance in a network that places such a high priority on transhipment.
However, according to the eeSea liner database, last year PTP operated at close to 100% utilisation – it has a stated annual capacity of 12.5m teu and saw throughput of 12.12m during 2024. Asked whether this scarcity of capacity could affect its role in the Gemini network, the head of APM Terminals’ hubs, Lars Michael Jensen, said capacity additions were under way while further space was expected to open up as Evergreen shifted volumes to Singapore. The Taiwanese carrier signed a joint-venture agreement with Singapore operator PSA to establish a new terminal at the port, which was scheduled to begin serving vessels at the end of last year.
Last year, PTP placed orders for 48 all-electric RTGs for its yard operations and 11 new quay cranes. However, Johan Sigsgaard, chief product officer for Maersk’s Ocean business, also noted that the phase-in of the new network would not happen overnight, but was expected to last up to three months. According to service schedules published on the eeSea platform, the two Ocean Alliance Asia-North Europe services that currently call at PTP – NEU6 and NEU7 – are set to cease calling from February, their calls transferred to Singapore. According to eeSea, the NEU6 and NEU7 offer 63,000 teu and 46,000 teu capacity at the port respectively each month.
Currently, there are no advertised changes to the five regional intra-Asia and three feeder services that Evergreen operates into PTP. In addition, MSC’s Asia-Europe Britannia service, which offers 44,000 teu capacity each month, is also set to exit PTP next month, as the Swiss carrier launches its standalone network and features Vung Tao and Colombo as its two non-China Asia calls.
