Indonesian, Dutch firms sign port agreement

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian and Dutch seaport management corporations signed an agreement on improving the management and efficiency of Indonesia's seaports here yesterday.

The agreement was signed by S.F. Makalew, Sahlan Asnawi, Frans Masengi and Sumardi, respectively the top executives of the Indonesian seaport operators PT Pelabuhan Indonesia (Pelindo) I, PT Pelindo II, PT Pelindo III and PT Pelindo IV, and Pieter Struijs of the Rotterdam Municipal Port Management.

"With the signing, the collaboration between the Rotterdam and Indonesian ports takes on a more concrete form, expressing the intention of the parties to enhance relationships through a program of technical cooperation," Struijs said.

He said the cooperation is expected to include exchange of information and consultation on port management, operations and technology, including electronic data interchange application.

The cooperation will also involve personnel training and the promotion of the expansion of commercial and industrial activities within the hinterlands of both parties.

Director General of Sea Transportation Soentoro, who witnessed the signing of the agreement with Dutch Ambassador P.R. Brouwer, officially opened a training program for Indonesian seaport personnel yesterday.

"Port services should be improved in anticipation of the rapid development of international trade," Soentoro said. "We need to improve the quality of human resources and we have selected Port of Rotterdam for cooperation."

Fifty seaport personnel are participating in the first session of the training program. The participants represent the country's major seaports, including Tanjung Priok port in Jakarta, Belawan port in North Sumatra, Tanjung Perak port in East Java, Makassar port in South Sulawesi and Tanjung Mas port in Central Java.

The training program is conducted by the Technical and Managerial Port Assistance Office (TEMPO), a division of the Rotterdam Municipal Port Management in cooperation with a private firm.

Rotterdam's port, one of the largest seaports in the world, is a main gateway to Europe and one of the major players in the global transportation network. Almost 300 million tons of goods are handled there annually.

Soentoro said yesterday that Indonesia's major seaports will operate an integrated service under a new presidential decree, which is expected to be announced soon.

"Integrated service has actually been introduced in Tanjung Priok and will be maintained because the port's productivity is increasing steadily," he said.

The integrated service, introduced in June, offers simplified vessel berthing procedures. Customers are required to register only at one window in processing their documents.

The system is expected to reduce the period of container handling from 10 to six days. (icn)