Pelindo: Container traffic at Belawan shows positive growth through May 2026
Medan (ANTARA) - PT Pelabuhan Indonesia (Persero), specifically Pelindo Regional 1 Belawan, has stated that container traffic at Belawan Port in Medan, North Sumatra, has shown positive growth through May 2026.
“This achievement demonstrates the increasing activity of trade and goods distribution through Belawan Port, as one of the main logistics hubs in the North Sumatra region,” said Yusrizal, Executive General Goods Manager of Pelindo Regional 1 Belawan, in a statement received in Medan on Friday.
Yusrizal noted that up to May 2026, container traffic at Belawan Port reached 531.2 thousand Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEUs), representing a five per cent increase compared to 505.8 thousand TEUs during the same period the previous year.
According to him, the rise in container traffic at Belawan Port was supported by the strengthening of shipping services and increased goods delivery activities, for both international and domestic segments.
“The increase in international container traffic was driven, among other things, by the strengthening of shipping service connectivity through additional ship visits, the arrival of several new shipping lines, and increased volumes from existing shipping lines,” he said.
Furthermore, domestic container growth was supported by increased volumes from several national shipping companies.
He stated that this positive performance was also driven by operational readiness, with Belawan Port supported by key equipment including 6 container cranes at the wharf and 12 Rubber Tyred Gantry (RTG) units in the yard. The RTG performance showed good operational conditions, with an average availability of 96.2 per cent.
“This equipment plays a role in supporting container loading and unloading activities, ranging from ship services to container handling in the stacking yard area,” Yusrizal explained.
The positive performance of Belawan Port aligns with the growth of North Sumatra’s Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP), which grew by 4.98 per cent, with the trade sector growing by 10.63 per cent and the transport and warehousing sector growing by 8.52 per cent. Meanwhile, Riau’s GRDP grew by 4.89 per cent, supported by, among others, the increase in the manufacturing and trade sectors.
As logistics activity increases, Pelindo is ensuring that service management at Belawan Port remains measurable and adaptive to the dynamics of goods flow. Terminal operational support continues to be strengthened to accommodate the needs of service users as well as domestic and international trade activities.
“Belawan plays a vital role in supporting logistics connectivity and regional economic growth. Therefore, Pelindo will continue to maintain operational smoothness and the quality of port services to support the needs of trade and goods distribution sustainably,” he said.