Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP), a joint venture between MMC Group and APM Terminals, welcomed the maiden call of Hapag-Lloyd’s Damietta Express on 27 February 2025.
PTP’s Chairman, Tan Sri Che Khalib Mohamad Noh, remarked, “The arrival of Damietta Express is a momentous occasion – this is no ordinary vessel, but part of Hapag-Lloyd’s latest Hamburg-Express-class fleet and a key carrier within the newly launched Gemini Cooperation network. It is truly an honour for PTP to host this magnificent ship on its inaugural port call at our terminal.”
As a key Asian hub within the Gemini Cooperation of Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd, PTP plays a pivotal role in shaping the success of this global partnership.
“This milestone goes beyond receiving a new vessel at our terminal. It signifies the beginning of a strong and promising collaboration with Hapag-Lloyd, now among our valued customers at this leading transshipment hub in the region,” Tan Sri Che Khalib added.
Echoing the Chairman’s sentiments, PTP’s CEO, Mark Hardiman, extended his utmost appreciation for Hapag-Lloyd’s partnership, trust and great confidence in PTP.
“In fact, our planning commenced two years ago when we were presented with the opportunity to support the new modular network under the Gemini Cooperation. Since then, we have undertaken extensive preparations and accelerated development to ensure we are fully equipped to support Gemini and demonstrate our capabilities.”
“At PTP, we are committed to maintaining stable and high productivity levels, even as volumes grow and demands from the Gemini Cooperation network expand. This stability is crucial and brings significant value to our customers. Ensuring schedule reliability has always been at the core of our commitment to our partners,” he stated.
Hapag-Lloyd’s Senior Managing Director of Region Asia, Hans Schäfer, remarked, “With the Gemini Cooperation network officially launched in February 2025, it is great to see the Damietta Express – one of our 23,600 twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) dual-fuel newbuilds – arriving for her maiden call at PTP.”
“The NE1 Service is one of the backbones of our 57 services in the Gemini Cooperation network and highlights our commitment to optimising global shipping routes. Our goal is ambitious yet clear: to achieve industry-leading reliability of over 90% once the network is fully phased-in. The success of Gemini Cooperation depends on more than ships and schedules. It is also about good and strong collaborations we have with our ports and terminals,” said Schäfer.
During its port call, Damietta Express was successfully refuelled with Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) via Simultaneous Operations (SIMOPS) bunkering – marking the second such operation at PTP. The first SIMOPS LNG bunkering was completed on Bangkok Express, a sister vessel and LNG dual-fuel container ship of Hapag-Lloyd.
This milestone is particularly significant for PTP, as it is Malaysia’s first terminal to conduct SIMOPS LNG bunkering, integrating refuelling seamlessly with cargo handling.
Hardiman reaffirmed that this achievement further strengthens PTP’s competitive edge in the global maritime industry by enabling cleaner and more eco-efficient operations.
“PTP’s capability in handling alternative marine fuels paves the way for future trials and pilot projects of diverse and emerging fuel solutions, positioning us as a leading energy transition hub. It also demonstrates our commitment to innovative and sustainable energy solutions,” he said, adding that the SIMOPS LNG bunkering operation was a collaboration between PTP, Hapag-Lloyd and PETCO Trading Labuan Company, which set a promising benchmark for future infrastructure development, fuel bunkering capabilities and knowledge-sharing.
Damietta Express is among Hapag-Lloyd’s fleet of dual-fuel container ships, designed to run on future ready alternatives. These vessels are expected to reduce emissions by 20% to 25%, underscoring Hapag-Lloyd’s commitment to sustainable shipping.
In 2024, PTP became the first container terminal in Malaysia to handle over 12 million TEUs in a single year. This accomplishment is part of a sustained performance, with PTP consistently exceeding one million TEUs per month for seven consecutive months since May 2024, solidifying its position as a key player in the global maritime industry.
PTP is currently ranked the fifth most efficient container port in the world, according to the Container Port Performance Index (CPPI) 2023 by The World Bank and S&P Global Market Intelligence; PTP is also ranked 15th among the world’s top container ports in volume throughput, as reported by Lloyd’s List 2023.
Source: Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP)
