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)