Bengkulu Port targets 30pc rise in liquid bulk cargo flow for 2026

The management of Pulau Baai Port in Bengkulu Province is targeting a 30 per cent increase in liquid bulk cargo distribution flow by 2026. Branch Manager of PTP Nonpetikemas Bengkulu Branch, Mochammad Choiron Yusuf, stated that the current target is around a 30 per cent rise, seeking to lift the port’s total cargo throughput from 400,000 tonnes per year to approximately 600,000 tonnes. He noted that as of May 2026, liquid bulk cargo performance had already been realised at 212.7 thousand tonnes, marking a 93.97 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2025, when only 122 thousand tonnes were recorded. Optimism for higher liquid bulk distribution achievements is also supported by the operation of drop tank services, or transit tanks for liquid bulk cargo transferred from trucks to be loaded onto ships. Choiron explained that PTP Nonpetikemas Bengkulu operates two drop tanks, each designated for specific product types. One is dedicated to olein, while the other is reserved for stearin and PFAD, as the products cannot be mixed within the tanks. In addition to boosting productivity, the use of the drop tank system has reduced vessel loading times significantly, cutting the process from five to six days down to approximately three days.