KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 8): Pelabuhan Tanjung Pelepas Sdn Bhd (PTP), which operates the Port of Tanjung Pelepas, has appointed Mark Hardiman as its new chief executive officer, effective from Jan 2.

Hardiman is succeeding Marco Neelsen, who has stepped down from the role after seven years at the helm since 2016.

In a statement, PTP said Hardiman was formerly the CEO of the Port of Salalah, Oman, after holding leadership roles as the chief operations officer and managing director of the Khalifa Bin Salman Port, Bahrain, and general manager for the Africa, Middle East and India region under the APM Terminals Regional Office Dubai, the United Arab Emirates.

"Mark is a dynamic, values-driven business leader, who has a diverse background of experiences and an excellent track record of delivery in the global port, maritime and logistics industry," PTP chairman Tan Sri Che Khalib Mohamad Noh said.

"PTP is looking forward to Mark realising the full potential of PTP as one of the leading regional transhipment hubs in the Strait of Malacca, delivering long-term growth and value to all its stakeholders," he added.

PTP is a joint venture between MMC Corp Bhd (70%) and APM Terminals (30%), a global ports group with 67 port and terminal facilities.

The Port of Tanjung Pelepas is Malaysia’s busiest transhipment hub, with a capacity to handle 13 million twenty-foot equivalent units annually.