Priok's capacity to be increased

JAKARTA (JP): The transportation minister, Haryanto Dhanutirto, said yesterday the government would increase the stocking capacity of the conventional cargo terminal at Tanjung Priok Port in North Jakarta.

Haryanto said the government was improving the terminal's facilities to be able to stock 100,000 tons a month, but did not say when the terminal would have this capacity.

Haryanto said the conventional terminal could receive an average 62,000 tons a month, while the port's container terminal could stock an average 3,000 boxes a month.

Haryanto spoke after meeting President Soeharto.

Haryanto told the President that Tanjung Priok port had been linked up with the electronic data interchange (EDI) system operated by the customs office.

"The president stressed that the system must be successful so that import-export flows can be quicker," he said.

The customs office started operating the EDI system at Tanjung Priok port and Soekarno-Hatta airport on April 1, marking the change in the country's inspection procedures for imported goods from a preshipment system to a post-shipment system.

The system is designed to electronically connect the customs office with all parties involved in the clearance of imports from the ports, including importers, port and airport authorities, shipping companies, airlines, freight forwarders, banks and other government offices.

Cigading port

The minister said a consortium would develop the Cigading port in Cilegon, West Java, into a public port. The port is currently owned by state-owned steel maker PT Krakatau Steel.

The consortium comprises a Singaporean investor, Krakatau's subsidiary PT Krakatau Bandar Samudra and state-owned port manager PT Pelabuhan Indonesia (Pelindo) II.

Earlier reports had said Pelindo was not part of the consortium.

"I want to point out that Pelindo will take part in developing the port," Haryanto was quoted by Antara as saying.

Pelindo's director, Harmani, said the consortium planned to unify Cigading port with the nearby Ciwandan public port. Consortium members have not finalized their negotiations.

Pelindo, in a joint venture with the Bimantara group which is owned by President Soeharto's son Bambang Trihatmojo, is developing a giant container port with a capacity of 1.2 million teus (20 feet equivalent units) a year in Bojonegoro, seven kilometers from Cilegon. (jsk)