ISKANDAR PUTERI Oct 8 (Bernama) -- The deployment of 52 electric prime movers (e-PMs) at the Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP) is set to enhance operational efficiency while accelerating the port’s transition towards greener terminal operations, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said.
He said the move also demonstrated PTP’s commitment to embedding sustainability into its day-to-day operations, beyond merely testing or demonstrating the feasibility of electric vehicles.
Loke said at the official handover of the completed fleet supplied by Terberg Tractors Malaysia (TTM) that introducing an initial batch of electric prime movers could demonstrate feasibility, but operating a complete electric fleet around the clock reflected a fundamental shift in the way a port conducts its operations.
"In August, PTP became the first port in Malaysia to introduce the initial 21 e-PMs into service. Today, the story is bigger.
"A complete fleet working this yard around the clock shows that the port has decided to change how it operates. That is the difference between a demonstration and a transition.
“PTP has grown at a remarkable pace. It was the first container terminal in Malaysia to surpass 14 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) in a single year, and it has been recognised as the world’s fastest-growing port. However, growth that leaves a heavier carbon footprint is not growth that Malaysia, or the world, will reward for long," he said at the launch of the “Driving Decarbonisation: PTP e-PM Fleet Launch” at Wisma PTP here today.
Loke said Malaysia, being at the centre of global trade with 96 per cent of the country’s trade moving by sea, must balance rapid port expansion with environmental stewardship.
He said economic growth accompanied by a heavier carbon footprint would no longer be sustainable or rewarded, making decarbonisation an increasingly important aspect of the country’s maritime and logistics development.
He added that PTP’s transition to e-PMs was complemented by the adoption of smart technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT), to optimise berth allocation, improve route planning and minimise vehicle idling.
On government initiatives, Loke said the Transport Ministry would ensure that ports were not left to spearhead the green transition alone.
"Among the key initiatives is the Green Bunkering Regulatory Roadmap, developed in collaboration with Australia, while the upcoming Malaysia Maritime Masterplan 2026–2040 will provide a 15-year roadmap anchored on decarbonisation, digitalisation and national fleet development.
He said the government was also modernising federal port legislation through the Malaysia Maritime Law Revision and Reform Committee, with the exercise targeted for completion by the end of 2026.
Loke also commended local manufacturer TTM for producing the e-PM fleet domestically, saying home-grown technology would create high-skilled employment opportunities, strengthen local supply chains and enhance Malaysia’s regional capabilities in green maritime technology.
He said PTP also played a strategic role in the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone, serving as an anchor maritime and smart logistics hub to support Johor’s broader economic targets of creating 400,000 high-income jobs and driving the state’s gross domestic product towards RM260 billion.
PTP closed 2025 by handling a record 14 million TEUs and is targeting annual throughput of 16 million TEUs by 2029 through its Berth Zero expansion.
-- BERNAMA