RI-flagged ships prioritized to carry rice<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): State Logistics Agency (Bulog) chairman Beddu
\nAmang promised that the agency would prioritize Indonesian-
\nflagged vessels to carry rice imports.<\/p>\n
Beddu said the agency would soon coordinate with the
\nIndonesian National Shipowners Association (INSA) to implement
\nthe plan.<\/p>\n
\"We really want most of our rice imports to be carried by
\nnationally flagged vessels,\" Beddu said Thursday on the sidelines
\nof a seminar on crude palm oil organized by the Yayasan Indonesia
\nForum.<\/p>\n
Beddu made the remarks in response to complaints by the INSA
\nthat most rice imports were carried by foreign-flagged vessels.<\/p>\n
INSA chairman Firdaus Wajdi said the shipment of imported rice
\nwas controlled by affiliates of the Salim Group, the country's
\nbiggest conglomerate, which prioritized foreign vessels based in
\nHong Kong and Thailand.<\/p>\n
Firdaus said the Salim Group had controlled the shipment of
\nrice imports for a long time. He suspected Bulog had given the
\ngroup the right to monopolize the shipments.<\/p>\n
Beddu admitted that very few nationally flagged vessels were
\nbeing chartered by Bulog suppliers to carry rice imports because
\nthey were difficult to find in the supplying countries or
\nneighboring countries.<\/p>\n
He also denied the Salim Group had a monopoly over the
\nshipment of rice.<\/p>\n
\"The Salim Group is Bulog's rice supplier. We can arrange for
\nit to use nationally flagged ships,\" he said.<\/p>\n
According to Beddu, the shipment of commodities imported by
\nBulog was carried out on a \"cost and freight\" scheme in which
\nvessels were chartered by suppliers.<\/p>\n
Suppliers<\/p>\n
But Bulog could ask suppliers to prioritize the use of
\nIndonesian-flagged vessels which were docked in their countries
\nor neighboring countries, he said.<\/p>\n
Beddu said to implement the plan of making most rice imports
\nbe carried by nationally flagged vessels, Bulog would coordinate
\nwith the INSA to match the schedule of rice imports to Indonesia
\nand the arrival schedule of Indonesian-flagged vessels in the
\nsupplying countries or nearby.<\/p>\n
\"Through such measures, we can identify which nationally
\nflagged vessels arrive in or pass near the countries from which
\nwe will import rice. We can then ask our suppliers to use those
\nships,\" Beddu said.<\/p>\n
Bulog will import 1.5 million tons of rice from Pakistan,
\nIndia, Vietnam and China for three months until March to add to
\nits existing stock of 1.5 million tons. The rice imports are
\naimed at covering the shortfall caused by the adverse effects of
\nthe El Nino weather phenomenon. (jsk)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ri-flagged-ships-prioritized-to-carry-rice-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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