Customs Reveals Contents of BYD-Wuling Containers Piling Up at Tanjung Priok

The Tanjung Priok Customs and Excise Office has addressed the situation regarding the number of containers from automotive manufacturers BYD, Wuling, and VinFast at Tanjung Priok Port, which had previously caused a backlog and led to congestion. Head of Compliance Guidance and Information Services at Tanjung Priok Customs, Niko Budhi Darma, stated that as of Thursday, 18 June 2026, the number of stacked containers at Tanjung Priok—including those belonging to BYD, Wuling, and VinFast—had decreased to 1,500, down from a peak of 10,000 containers. “As of 18 June 2026, the number of containers that have not been released within 4 to 30 days after the Goods Release Approval (SPPB) is around 1,500. These containers are gradually being released by their owners,” Niko told CNBC Indonesia. Niko added that the container pile-up problem occurred due to a combination of three processes: pre-customs clearance, customs clearance, and post-customs clearance. “The 10,000 containers were in the post-customs clearance stage, representing the total number of containers that had received SPPB, both through the red lane and the green lane,” he continued. Niko further explained that the contents of the BYD, Wuling, and VinFast containers were automotive spare parts in semi-finished form (incomplete knocked down/IKD), consisting of vehicle components that will later be assembled domestically. “Information regarding the containers belonging to BYD, Wuling, and VinFast indicates they contain spare parts in IKD form that will undergo assembly in the country,” he clarified. Customs has implemented several measures to reduce the container pile-up. These steps include increasing inspection personnel, adding inspection locations at the Jakarta International Container Terminal (JICT) and the Koja Container Terminal (TPK Koja), extending inspection operations into the night shift, and adjusting services. “We then carried out comprehensive mitigation across the three processes. The mitigation steps taken include coordination with relevant stakeholders, increasing the number of inspectors, extending inspection hours (day and night shifts), arranging effective mechanisms for goods inspection, and adding inspection locations,” he stated. In addition, Customs facilitated business-to-business (B to B) meetings between entities involved in the logistics business, such as importers, logistics associations, and trucking associations. Regarding the customs process at TPK Koja and JICT, Niko explained that under normal conditions, containers requiring physical inspection would be moved to the Graha Segara Integrated Physical Inspection Site. However, to accelerate the process and ease congestion, Customs requested TPK Koja and JICT to add temporary inspection areas at their respective yards. “This inspection is carried out without moving the containers to the TPFT and is applied to imported goods categorised as low risk,” Niko said. Previously, CNBC Indonesia observed that loading and unloading activities for inspection at the TPK Koja Customs post in North Jakarta on Wednesday, 17 June 2026, were not particularly busy, and no containers holding components from BYD and Wuling cars were present. Director General of Customs and Excise Djaka Budhi Utama stated that the resolved container pile-up was not caused by administrative customs procedures, but rather by importing companies leaving their goods to linger at the port. “When the containers had already been cleared for release, a pile-up still occurred because the operators did not promptly remove them,” Djaka said during a working meeting with Commission XI of the House of Representatives. Djaka explained that automotive companies such as BYD and Wuling were among those leaving goods at the port, utilising the port facility by not immediately removing their imported goods for three days. “For example, BYD and Wuling were still using the port facility for three days after the Goods Release Approval (SPPB) was issued, and even for more than two weeks they did not lift the goods out. Yesterday, there were nearly 10,000 containers at the port,” he stressed. To resolve the issue, the Directorate General of Customs and Excise (DJBC) took enforcement action to ensure these importing companies did not leave goods piled up at the port, which disrupts dwelling time.