'Bilateral accords to stress Batam air cargo access<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): New bilateral air agreements will stipulate that
\nall large air freighters must load and unload at Hang Nadim
\nairport on Batam Island near Singapore, Minister of
\nTransportation Haryanto Dhanutirto said yesterday.<\/p>\n
The government wants to turn Hang Nadim airport into an air
\ncargo hub and will make all its bilateral air agreements
\naccordingly, the minister said.<\/p>\n
But the rule on air freight loading and unloading at Hang
\nNadim will only be applied to big cargo jets which do not carry
\nperishable goods.<\/p>\n
\"If they carry perishable goods, they may fly directly to
\nManado or Ujung Pandang,\" Haryanto said.<\/p>\n
According to the government's plan, air cargo from Batam will
\nbe distributed to other parts of the country by feeder freighter
\nservices operated by domestic airlines.<\/p>\n
The plan will help develop Batam airport and domestic cargo
\ncarriers, he said.<\/p>\n
The plan does not affect cargo companies operating in
\nIndonesia because none of them operate big cargo jets.<\/p>\n
\"They may continue their operations as they do now,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The government has not yet issued a ruling on air cargo
\nservices to Batam but its plans for Batam have influenced all
\nnegotiations on air cargo services to Indonesia, Haryanto said.<\/p>\n
Haryanto said the ministry had rejected an application from
\nthe Federal Express cargo company of the United States to fly big
\ncargo jets to the country.<\/p>\n
The Hang Nadim airport has been renovated to become an
\ninternational airport with its runway extended to more than four
\nkilometers for jumbo jets. But its cargo terminal has been
\ndismissed by freight companies as inadequate for international
\ncargo.<\/p>\n
Haryanto said the facilities at the airport's cargo terminal
\nwould be further developed by the airport authorities or cargo
\ncompanies.<\/p>\n
\"The authorities of Batam cargo terminal have to complete the
\nfacilities there in four to five years. Otherwise, we shall drop
\nthe plan,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The plan to make Batam airport a cargo hub requires a cargo
\ncarrier network linking Batam to other parts of the country. Only
\none scheduled air cargo company, SMAC (Sabang Merauke Air Cargo),
\nflies from Batam to Singapore and Balikpapan daily.<\/p>\n
Haryanto said the cargo carrier network linking Batam and
\nother parts of the country would develop gradually.<\/p>\n
But the plan has been criticized by businessmen as another new
\ncost to business.<\/p>\n
Rene Dotulung from PT Cardig Air, a domestic warehousing and
\ncargo handling company, told The Jakarta Post the plan would be a
\nboon to domestic airlines but would raise industrial enterprises'
\ncosts.<\/p>\n
\"I think the government should pay more attention to our
\nmanufacturing industries than to our airlines.\" Dotulung said.
\n(jsk)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/bilateral-accords-to-stress-batam-air-cargo-access-1447893297",
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