Indonesia\u2019s economy grew by 5.61% in the first quarter of 2026, but\nthis expansion has not broadly translated into the real sector. In fact,\nseveral port service providers report slower and more expensive\noperations, with performance at major ports deteriorating due to\nsub\u2011optimal or worn equipment. Productivity has fallen, elongating the\ntime required for vessel berthing and unloading, ultimately leading to\nqueues at berths.<\/p>\n
At Tanjung Perak Port in Surabaya, the average berthing wait for\nvessels at the Berli an Container Terminal (TPK Berlian) has reached 30\nhours. This is driven by demand for container handling services that\nexceeds current capacity. Wahyu Jatmiko, Senior Manager of Legal and\nPublic Relations for PT Pelabuhan Indonesia (Persero) Regional 3,\nacknowledged that Berlian\u2019s terminal capacity remains well below demand.\n\u201cThere are still berthing delays at TPK Berlian with an average time of\n30 hours. The terminal\u2019s capacity can only serve 53 calls per week,\nwhile demand has surged to 70 calls per week,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Conditions at Semarang\u2019s Tanjung Emas Port are no different. In the\nrun\u2011up to and after Eid al\u2011Fitr 2026, vessel queues at the anchorage\nreached as many as nine ships simultaneously, with waiting times of 4\u20136\ndays. The Yard Occupancy Ratio (YOR) at the terminal rose to 90%, far\nabove the safe limit of 65%.<\/p>\n
Not only is there a surge in volume, but the market\u2019s non\u2011competitive\nstructure is exacerbating the situation. H. Sunarno HS, acting Director\nof Operations for PT Pelayaran Tresnamuda Sejati (agent for Wanhai),\ndescribed how few choices there are in Semarang compared with other\nports. \u201cIn Semarang, there is only one container terminal; there is no\ncompetitor. If you compare to Tanjung Priok, there are many options:\nNPCT One, TPK Koja, JICT, EMA. In Surabaya there are TPS and Teluk\nLamong. But in Semarang there is none,\u201d Sunarno said.<\/p>\n
This lack of competition makes service improvements hard to drive\norganically. The sole operating terminal lacks competitive pressure to\nupgrade.<\/p>\n
Teguh Arif Handoko, Chairman of ALFI\u2019s Central Java Provincial\nCouncil, assessed that emergency measures such as diverting containers\nto the second line and inspecting red lanes with Customs on Saturdays\nare only patching short\u2011term problems. \u201cThis year volumes will rise by\nat least 10% more, to around 1.1\u20131.2 million TEUs. The Central Java\nindustrial zone is currently producing only 30% of full capacity. Once\nfull, volumes will be much higher,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He urged rapid infrastructure expansion, not merely repairs.\nExtending the berth from 600 metres to 1,000 metres should be undertaken\nimmediately. Four new QCC Panamax cranes that have arrived should be\ncommissioned as planned, around June 2026, after testing.<\/p>\n
When ships sit at anchorage for days, engines keep running and fuel\nis wasted. The fuel costs incurred during queues erode shippers\u2019\nmargins. Add to that the need for increased land transport as routes are\ndiverted.<\/p>\n
H. Sunarno HS outlined the cascading costs of the delays: \u201cThe costs\nare immeasurable. Ships bound for Jakarta, Surabaya, Semarang, if they\nhave to wait, the entire route schedule is disrupted. Shipping costs are\ncalculated in dollars. We also receive many complaints from cargo\nowners. Raw materials wait at factories. The losses are double\u2014the\nlosses and the complaints.\u201d<\/p>\n
The impact does not end at sea. Exporters in Kendal\u2019s Industrial Zone\nhave begun diverting shipments to Tanjung Priok or Tanjung Perak to\navoid congestion in Semarang, though this solution is costly. \u201cWhy would\nwe send to Surabaya or Jakarta when a lorry fare is already around Rp 8\nmillion? That adds to their logistics costs,\u201d said Teguh Arif\nHandoko.<\/p>\n
There are early signs of improvement. Ade Siti Muksodah, head of GPEI\nin Central Java, says YOR has fallen to about 60% and line two has\nreturned to operation. However, she emphasises that continuous\nmonitoring remains essential as Central Java\u2019s export\u2011import volumes\ncontinue to grow. (H\u20112)<\/p>\n
PT Kaltim Kariangau Terminal (KKT) held a Table Top Exercise ISPS\nCode 2026 to mitigate sabotage risks and strengthen maritime security in\nBalikpapan.<\/p>\n
Among the cross\u2011border shipping developments, fast ferries also pose\nchallenges.<\/p>\n
Imports of cattle arriving at Tanjung Priok Port by April 2026\nreached 2,500 head, up from the same period the previous year.<\/p>\n
The importance of standby support vessels, such as tugboats, to\nrapidly alleviate bottlenecks in marine traffic is underscored.<\/p>\n
Iran has warned that no port will be safe in the Gulf and the Sea of\nOman following the US blockade of Iranian vessel access via the Strait\nof Hormuz, potentially triggering a fresh escalation.<\/p>\n
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