Bulog hits trouble again with storage problems

Bulog hits trouble again with storage problems

JAKARTA (JP): An inadequate number of warehouses has left the the National Logistics Agency (Bulog) in a lurch once again, this time preventing 13 vessels carrying the agency's foodstuffs from berthing at Jakarta's Tanjung Priok port.

The vessels, carrying 178,467 tons of imported rice and sugar, anchored offshore yesterday because Bulog lacked the space to accommodate the arriving goods.

The seven vessels carrying rice were the MV Cherry, which arrived on Feb. 11 carrying 19,754 tons of rice, the MV Samuda, (March 3, carrying 15,800 tons), the MV Iran Abad (March 1, carrying 12,728 tons), the MV Magdalena (March 12, with 10,960 tons), the MV Sun Ray (March 12, carrying 13,000 tons), the MV Samudera Rabi (March 16, with 11,000 tons) and the MV Ocean Bliss (Feb. 26, with 20,000 tons).

Meanwhile, the six vessels carrying sugar imports were the MV Dai Hong Dan which arrived in Jakarta on Feb. 1, carrying 8,000 tons of sugar, the MV Jin Chuan Bao (Feb. 15, carrying 14,500 tons), the MV Myoh Yang II (Feb. 16, with 15,000 tons), the MV Ho Chi Minh (Feb. 22, carrying 12,000 tons), the MV Ivan Moskalenko (March 3, with 12,600 tons) and the MV Ruchi (Feb. 21, carrying 13,125 tons).

The Antara news agency reported that three of Bulog's vessels carrying 13,700 tons of rice, 19,500 tons of sugar and 20,000 tons of soy beans have unloaded their cargo at Tanjung Priok.

Bulog chief Beddu Amang admitted earlier this year that a lack of warehouses at the country's main ports has made it difficult for the agency to store its imported food supplies.

The agency's vessels have been causing congestion in several ports since its imports started arriving in early February. Beddu said imports would continue arriving until April. (pwn)