Jakarta Authorities Target Container Depot Inefficiency to Ease Cakung-Cilincing Congestion

Chronic congestion involving container trucks on the Cakung-Cilincing route has once again drawn the attention of Jakarta’s transport authorities. The Head of the North Jakarta Transportation Sub-agency, Rudy Saptari Sulesuryana, revealed that one of the main causes of the heavy vehicle backlog is the suboptimal operation of container depots in the area. Based on cross-sectoral coordination, the problem originates from activities in the Cakung area of East Jakarta, which then creates a domino effect resulting in long tailbacks stretching into North Jakarta. This situation has triggered strategic mitigation measures to ensure the smooth flow of logistics to and from Tanjung Priok Port. “We see that it occurs in the Cakung area, East Jakarta, and impacts the North Jakarta region,” Rudy said after attending a Coordination Meeting on Loading and Unloading Management at Container Depots held at the North Jakarta Metro Police Headquarters on Wednesday. Rudy Saptari explained that the congestion is often triggered by queues of trucks waiting to enter depots. Currently, there are more than 31 logistics truck depot units spread across the North Jakarta area. These depots play a crucial role in the supply chain as they serve export and import activities. Inefficient loading, unloading, and container collection processes at the depots force trailer trucks to wait on public roads, ultimately blocking the movement of other vehicles on the Cakung-Cilincing route. In response, the North Jakarta Transportation Sub-agency, together with the North Jakarta Metro Police Traffic Unit, the Tanjung Priok Port Police Traffic Unit, and trucking entrepreneurs, have formulated several concrete steps. The government will prepare a Buffer Zone to serve as a temporary parking area or waiting zone for logistics trucks. With this facility, trucks will no longer be allowed to queue on the highway before obtaining a slot or entry permit to the port or depot area. The main objective is to move the queue from public spaces to a controlled area. The North Jakarta Transportation Sub-agency also stressed the importance of uniform Standard Operating Procedures for all depot managers outside the Tanjung Priok Port area. These procedures include regulating loading and unloading times and queue management to prevent spillover onto public roads. Officers from the transportation sub-agency and traffic police will be deployed to monitor compliance with these rules. Given that the source of congestion is often in the administrative area of East Jakarta but impacts North Jakarta, inter-regional coordination has been strengthened. Mitigation efforts are aimed at ensuring that operational issues at a single depot point do not paralyse the national logistics artery in the northern region. With more than 31 depots, the main challenge lies in daily supervision. The large volume of trailer trucks serving exports and imports means that synchronising ship arrival schedules at the port with depot readiness is key to unravelling future congestion. Authorities hope that through this Loading and Unloading Management Coordination Meeting, depot operators can improve their internal efficiency so that trucks no longer use public roads as emergency parking areas.