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Maersk maintains keen interest in PTP
2009/3/4
Danish shipping giant A P Moller-Maersk told Business Times it would maintain a keen interest in the Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP) in Johor, Malaysia''s second largest container port.
It owns 30 per cent of PTP through its port unit APM Terminals, while MMC Corp holds the rest. MMC has received government nod to talk to foreign parties on the sale of PTP.
MMC wants to sell almost a fifth of PTP to raise funds for expansion.
Maersk did not directly reply to questions on whether it was interested to raise its stake in PTP or if it had approached MMC.
"Naturally, we maintain a keen interest in the terminal and in its running efficiently because this is what our customers want, regardless of who eventually takes the stake," Maersk Line country manager Omar Shamsie told Business Times.
Sources said that interest from foreign companies, including shipping lines, remained strong and that MMC had received about four to five expressions of interest.
Although it holds only 30 per cent of PTP, Maersk also manages the operations at the port, which has been important for the global group.
Earlier last month, PTP chief executive officer Captain Ismail Hashim said that the port was looking for a further US$1.07 billion in capital expenditure to expand over the next five years.
Some $670.68 million was allocated under the first phase of the expansion plans and PTP was looking at $1.07 billion more for phase two.
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2009/3/5