Reducing Dwelling Time: Jakarta Customs Optimises Bonded Logistics Centres
The Bonded Logistics Centre (PLB) is being optimised as a buffer zone to reduce goods accumulation at ports, thereby lowering dwelling time and logistics costs. The Jakarta Customs Regional Office believes that utilising these facilities allows goods to exit port areas more quickly before proceeding to the next stage of the supply chain.
Head of the Jakarta Customs Regional Office, Hendri Darnadi, stated that a recent inspection of PT Sarana Gemilang in the Nusantara Bonded Zone (KBN), Jakarta, was conducted to assess the utilisation of PLB facilities and to identify challenges faced by companies. “We are ensuring that the facilities provided by Customs are truly beneficial, capable of supporting economic growth, and able to enhance business activities,” Hendri said in Jakarta on Wednesday.
Hendri emphasised that the role of Customs extends beyond being a trade facilitator; it also involves ensuring that customs facilities actively assist companies in expanding their operations. “The role of Customs is not just to facilitate trade, but to provide facilities that allow companies to foster industry and economic development,” he explained.
The visit also served to identify issues faced by business actors and find solutions to any obstacles encountered. Based on the inspection, the company, which has utilised PLB facilities from 2017 to 2026, has not faced any significant difficulties in using customs facilities. “Alhamdulillah, from 2017 to 2026, this company has not encountered any heavy constraints or problems,” he added.
Hendri assured that support and assistance remain open for companies receiving PLB facilities within the Jakarta region, promising maximum support for economic growth. He noted that the presence of PLBs helps reduce dwelling time by moving goods from port areas to storage facilities before further processing. “The existence of PLBs is part of reducing dwelling time and reducing what is known as logistics costs. This prevents goods from piling up; at the very least, we can untangle the complexities at the port by directing them to bonded areas,” he said.
However, Hendri clarified that PLBs are not intended to solve vehicle congestion around ports. Instead, the benefit lies in reducing the occupancy rate of port areas. “What we can resolve is the occupancy rate at the port, because goods can exit faster and move to storage. This prevents queues similar to dwelling time. Traffic congestion, however, is outside the domain of Customs,” he explained.
During the visit, business owners also raised concerns regarding the lengthy process for applying for import quotas for steel and spare parts. They also complained about the processing of import restriction and prohibition (lartas) documents, including technical approvals from the Ministry of Industry and import approvals from the Ministry of Trade. Additionally, some entrepreneurs noted that the import quotas received during approval were often smaller than what was initially applied for.
A PLB is a multi-functional logistics warehouse that receives customs and tax facilities from the government to support the efficiency of export-import supply chains. PLB facilities in Jakarta are directly supervised by the Jakarta Customs Regional Office. Several PLBs operate in the Jakarta area, including in Cakung and Marunda, and can be used for various commodities, ranging from industrial raw materials to finished products.
For businesses, one key advantage of the PLB is the deferment of import duties and taxes. Importers can store goods in a PLB for up to three years before they are released for use, allowing import duty and tax payments to be synchronised with the time of goods release. This scheme also helps companies manage cash flow, as import obligations do not need to be settled immediately upon the goods’ arrival in Indonesia. For the government, utilising PLBs can reduce congestion at major ports such as Tanjung Priok and lower logistics costs caused by prolonged stays in port areas.