ISKANDAR PUTERI (July 22): Following the increasing interest in its free trade zone, the Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP) is looking at expanding the area by an additional 141.64 hectares in phases over the next few years.

Pelabuhan Tanjung Pelepas Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Marco Neelsen said the existing free trade zone, comprising Phase 1 and 2, was completed in 2005, with an occupancy rate of 95% to-date.

“Currently, our free trade zone comprised 350 acres with 41 companies and warehouses, which created about 10,000 jobs,” he told reporters after a working visit by the Johor State Public Works, Infrastructure and Transportation Committee chairman Mohd Solihan Badri at the PTP here, today.

Also present was Johor Port Authority general manager, Muhammad Razif Ahmad.

Neelsen said the expansion would be based on demands, and that there would no be specific timeline for it.

“That is why we are working closely with the government. We are probably looking at about five years or longer, depending on the demand,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mohd Solihan said the state government would assist the PTP in the expansion in terms of land acquisition.

“The state government will assist and facilitate (the expansion), aside from ensuring that the procedures to acquire the land are settled as soon as possible, probably before the end of the year,” he said.

He added that the state government was looking at potential land for the expansion, including those belonging to the state government located near the PTP.