PTP started operations on a three-month basis and received its maiden vessel on 10 October 1999. It was officially launched by then-Prime Minister of Malaysia Mahathir bin Mohamad on 13 March 2000. Within its first 571 days of operations, it handled. In 17 August 2000, Maersk concluded a deal with the Port's holding companySeaport Terminal to take a 30% equity stake in the latter and shift Maersk's transhipment hub from Singapore to the port. Later, in 2002, Evergreen Marine also signed a terminal service agreement with PTP, shifting its transhipment operations from Singapore. In 2012, the Port announced that it would increase its quay by the addition of two berths, worth MYR1.4 billion, giving a total of 14 berths. The existing quay, at 4.32 km in length, was increased by 0.7 km giving a linear quay length of 5.02 km. The two berths were fully in operational by the first quarter of 2014. The expansion project increased the Port's handling capacity to 12.5 million TEUs.
Year
TEU million
1999
0.02
2000
0.42
2001
2.0
2002
2.6
2003
3.5
2004
4.0
2005
4.2
2006
4.7
2007
5.5
2008
5.60
2009
6.02
2010
6.50
2011
7.50
2012
7.70
2013
7.60
2014
8.50
2015
9.10
2016
8.3
2017
8.4
In June 2020, 110 containers of toxic electric arc furnace dust, amounting to some 1,864 tonnes was found at the port. Malaysia said it would working to repatriate the waste.
Facilities
The current port offers 14 berths totaling 5 km of linear wharf length, and a 1.2 million square meters container yard which contains around 240,000 TEU in storage space, 43,874 ground slot and 5,080 reefer points. The berths are serviced by 58 Super Post-Panamax quay cranes, 16 with 25 rows outreach, 11 of which have a 22 rows outreach and dual hoist 40’ pick, 30 with 22 rows outreach and twin 20’ lift. The total capacity of the port today is over 10.5 million TEU per year with 174 rubber tyred gantry cranes and 390 prime movers operates around the container facility. In addition to road connectivity, the port is also connected to the peninsular's freight railway system that extends from Johor to the south to southern Thailand to the north, via a 4-track rail terminal. The port development area covers 2,000 acres for the port terminal and 1,500 acres for the free trade zone. The port has a harbour with a draft of 15 – 19 metres, and a turning basin of 720 metres. The 2007 master plan of the port envisages over 95 berths with 150 million TEU terminal handling capacity. The berths are expected to extend from the mouth of the Pulai River to Malaysia–Singapore Second Link.
