New container terminal to operate soon

New container terminal to operate soon

JAKARTA (JP): PT Humpuss Terminal Peti Kemas, an arm of the
Humpuss Group, is scheduled to start operating a new container
terminal at North Jakarta's Tanjung Priok port in December.

Soetikno Soedarjo, the president of PT Mahasara Buana (Mabua),
the subholding company of Humpuss Terminal, said yesterday that
Humpuss Terminal will develop and operate Tanjung Priok's
Container Terminal III in collaboration with state-owned PT
Pelabuhan Indonesia II and PT Humpuss (Holding).

The latter is controlled by President Soeharto's youngest son,
Hutomo Mandala Putra.

"Humpuss Terminal is expected to become a major profit center
for Mabua in the future," Soetikno said.

The 11-year-old Mabua currently has seven subsidiaries,
including Humpuss Terminal.

The other six are PT Puri Bangun Mustika, PT Tirtaartha
Buanamulia, PT Mabua Intan Express, PT Mandala Dirgantara
Industri, PT Mabua International Limited and PT Mabua Detroit
Diesel.

Puri Bangun has businesses in construction services. It is
helping to build a railway viaduct in the greater Jakarta area,
and also constructing Hang Nadim international airport in Batam,
Riau.

Tirtaartha is cooperating with Bali's water authority to
provide clean water to the public and to the province's tourism
centers of Kuta, Legian, Jimbaran, Nusa Dua, Tanjung Benoa and
Sawangan.

Mabua Intan operates the Mabua Express, a catamaran ferry
serving shuttle trips between West Nusa Tenggara's Lembar harbor
and Bali's Benoa port.

Mandala Dirgantara has businesses in aircraft maintenance as
well as pilot and air crew recruitment.

Mabua International is involved in the tourism sector,
particularly in the management and operation of the Four Seasons
hotel in Jimbaran, Bali. It is now constructing the Four Seasons
Ubud, which is expected to open next year.

Mabua Detroit is the main distributor for diesel engines
produced by Detroit Diesel of the United States.

Soetikno said that among Mabua's subsidiaries, the only one
that still relies partly on subsidies from Mabua is Mabua Intan.

"We have not been able to achieve our passenger target and
have brought up (ferry) rates as scheduled," he said. (pwn)