Batam Container Terminal Accelerates International Shipping via Direct Call

Batam (ANTARA) - Container terminal operator PT Batam Terminal Petikemas (BTP) continues to enhance international shipping connectivity through its direct call service, which speeds up delivery times and reduces logistics costs for businesses in Batam City, Riau Islands Province.

BTP, which holds the concession to manage the Batu Ampar container terminal from the Batam Indonesia Free Zone Authority (BP Batam), continues to develop port services to support smooth export and import flows.

PT BTP Director Basori Alwi said in Batam on Friday that one of the greatest benefits of the direct call service is reduced delivery times, as vessels no longer need to transit in Singapore.

“Previously, for example, shipping to Shanghai took around ten days because it had to transit in Singapore. Now, with the direct call service, shipping directly from Batam to Shanghai and vice versa takes only about seven days. That is a time saving of around three days,” he said.

In addition to cutting delivery times, the direct shipping service has also significantly lowered logistics costs.

“Previously, the cost of shipping one container to Shanghai ranged from US$800 to US$1,000 because of the Singapore transit. Now, with the direct service, it has fallen to around US$650 per container,” he said.

Basori noted that between January and May 2026, international direct calls reached 106 vessel visits, an increase of 212 per cent compared with the same period last year, which recorded only 34 visits.