Eight ministries responsible for long dwelling time: Pelindo

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - President Director of PT Pelindo II R. J. Lino
said here on Monday that dwelling time at Tanjung Priok Port was long
because the eight ministries involved in the activities were not
interconnected yet.

"It is not Pelindos fault. It is because the eight ministries involved
are not interconnected yet," he stated before meeting with Presidential
Chief of Staff Luhut Panjaitan at the State Palace.

He added that lack of coordination among the eight ministries was the
reason why the dwelling time at the port in Jakarta, which is operated
by Pelindo, has yet to reach the target of 4.7 days.

According to Lino, efforts must be made to integrate the work of the
eight ministries to prevent inefficiency, which has inflicted losses
amounting to Rp780 trillion.

He further noted that Pelindo has a system to reduce dwelling time but
could not implement it yet.

"Extending the dumping area is not related to dwelling time. It will be
useless even if it is extended by a thousand hectares if the goods
cannot be released," he explained.

Lino also pointed out that his company did not benefit from it, adding
that it collected money from loading and unloading activities.

Pelindo had also prepared offices for representatives from the
ministries concerned, but only the Ministry of Trade and the quarantine
agency had used them, he revealed.

"There should be eight officers working here. But look, there are only
two representing the Ministry of Trade and the quarantine agency. This
should be a coordination room, but it cannot be done if only two are
present," he remarked.

In addition, Lino affirmed that they had made improvements to Tanjung
Priok Port so it could qualify as an international one and also as the
biggest to receive the best container port award.

"We provide facilities like loading and unloading. You look at Tanjung
Priok Port. It is so wide. As one of the biggest terminal ports, we can
win the best container port award if the quality of services reaches
that level. We have been asked to meet the standards of international
ports," the president director stated.

(Reporting by Joko Susilo/Uu.H-YH/INE/KR-BSR/H-YH)