Introduction
TNT’s Penang International Gateway houses the company’s integrated air and road operations for the north of Malaysia and runs 24 hours, 7 days a week.
The establishment of the Penang International Gateway facility is in addition to TNT’s existing depot in Penang, also located in Bayan Lepas. The Gateway facility handles the export, import and the customs clearance of goods before transported to the Penang depot which will sort, pick up and deliver goods. There are four other major TNT facilities in Malaysia[1]. Located at Kompleks Kargo Kedua, the International Gateway measuring 14,000 sq feet houses state-of-the-art equipments to improve the transit times and capacity of goods passing through Penang.
Capable of handling outbound and inbound cargo, the International Gateway’s direct road links to Singapore and Thailand and proximity to the cargo apron and runway allow for faster turnaround times at the facility.
In terms of the benefits of the expanded facility to customers, a new material handling system, wireless scanners and the dynamic dimensioning and weighing machine put in place at the Gateway, amongst other new and updated features, are expected to aid in faster turnaround times and seamless transfer and consolidation of both air and road-haul cargo.
TAPA ‘A’ certification
In recognition of the emphasis hi-tech businesses place on security for their high value shipments, TNT has ensured that its security system surpasses the requirements of its customers. This has earned the Penang International Gateway TAPA ‘A’ status with a near perfect score of 91.47 per cent. One of the highlights of the facility’s security system is its X-ray machine which ensures goods have been thoroughly scanned for unlawful materials before being transported to its final destination. The in-house X-ray machine controlled and operated by TNT (as opposed to a third party provider) reduces the liabilities for its customers’ goods.
24x7 real-time Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) tracking of TNT’s container trucks also ensure that the same level of security is applied to road transportation as it is to air. In June this year, TNT was also the first express integrator to be IS0 28000 certified for its air and road operations across the Asia Pacific region.
In summary, the expanded facility has been installed with upgraded features such as:
- New and improved security systems – security card access, CCTVs system, security alarm system with the facility fully monitored by the ASCCC (Asia Security Command and Control Centre) in Petaling Jaya throughout the day
- New Material Handling System (Conveyors and Castor deck)
- Dynamic dimensioning and weighing machine measures the dimension of each shipment accurately
- Wireless Radio Frequency network for real time data upload
- X-ray machine
Key facility facts:
- 14,000 square feet total operation space (including warehouse & administrative office)
- Capable of conveying: 2,500 parcels per hour, 320 tons of cargo daily
[1] Refer to the TNT Malaysia boilerplate appended to the Penang International Gateway press release.