Middle East Tensions Escalate, Cargo Flows Remain Steady
Jakarta – IPC Terminal Petikemas (IPC TPK) opened the second quarter of 2026 with improved operational performance. Throughput realised up to April 2026 reached 1,159,575 TEUs, up 6.7% year on year (YoY) from 1,086,766 TEUs in the same period last year.
The throughput growth at IPC TPK aligns with the national trade growth trend. Data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) show Indonesia’s imports for January–March 2026 grew 10.05% YoY, while the national trade balance remains in surplus of US$5.55 billion.
Amid the dynamics of the global supply chain which continues to face challenges, including rising logistics costs and uncertainty surrounding international shipping routes due to escalation of conflict in the Middle East region.
These conditions also affect global sea freight activity and prompt adjustments to several international maritime routes. Nevertheless, IPC TPK continues to maintain service reliability and operational efficiency to ensure smooth cargo flows remain safeguarded.
Senior Manager of IPC TPK’s Corporate Secretariat, Daniel Setiawan, said the company continues to maintain service optimisation and operational efficiency to support the smooth distribution of national logistics.
“Optimization and service efficiency we continue to uphold to support the smooth flow of goods and to maintain the competitiveness of national logistics,” he said. On a year-on-year basis, the improvement in April 2026 was significant, at 26.78% compared with the previous year.
In April 2026, operating performance stood at 308,810 TEUs, up sharply from April 2025’s 243,579 TEUs. The largest growth occurred in the Tanjung Priok region, particularly IPC TPK Area Tanjung Priok 2 which grew 36.7% and Area Tanjung Priok 1 by 24.3%.
The growth was driven by additional adhoc services and increased volumes from several shipping lines. Meanwhile, IPC TPK Area Palembang also posted growth of 18.7% as export and import activity rose for commodities such as rubber, wood products, coconut, and metal boxes.
Amid the growth of container traffic, IPC TPK also continued to strengthen strategic steps across its operational regions. In April 2026, IPC TPK Teluk Bayur together with PTP Nonpetikemas Cabang Teluk Bayur forged a synergy in utilising the quay and loading/unloading equipment to support smooth logistics services in West Sumatra.