Soeharto innaugurates new container terminal in Koja

JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto yesterday inaugurated the country's most modern container terminal, controlled by his youngest son Hutomo Mandala Putra, in Koja, North Jakarta.

PT Humpuss Terminal Peti Kemas, of the Humpuss Group, built the container terminal and will operate it jointly with state- owned seaport operator PT Pelabuhan Indonesia (Pelindo) II.

The terminal is located in Tanjung Priok Port.

Pelindo II president A. Harbani said yesterday the new terminal totaled US$111 million in dollar-denominated financing and Rp 422 billion ($46.8 million) in rupiah-denominated financing.

The facility has a container stacking capacity of 600,000 20- foot equivalent units (TEUs) per annum.

As of the end of 1997, overall container stacking capacity at Tanjung Priok port, excluding the Humpuss terminal, was 1.7 million TEUs.

The company began developing the terminal in 1995.

The facility currently has a 450 meter long pier with 14 meters of water depth, five container cranes, 20 transtainers and 14 hectares of container stacking space.

"Koja container terminal is the country's first modern terminal using container cranes complete with port information technology like on-line, real-time information and electronic data interchange facilities," Harbani said.

The electronic data interchange system electronically connects the terminal with the customs office, some foreign exchange banks and importers.

Harbani said Humpuss planned to expand the current terminal so that it would have a 975 meter long pier, 9 cranes, 36 transtainers and 36 hectares of container stacking space.

The second phase of the terminal development is planned to be completed in 1999 with a total cost of Rp 777.6 billion in rupiah financing and $72.3 million in dollar financing.

"The completion of the Koja terminal will raise Tanjung Priok's container stacking capacity from 1.7 million TEUs at the end of 1997 to 3 million in 1999," Harbani said.

The Humpuss Koja terminal has met some resistance from local residents displaced by the development. Some of them complained that they had not received enough compensation for their land and houses.

Harbani said almost all of 13,000 families moved out from the terminal location were compensated with amounts set by the city administration.

He said Humpuss Terminal had built six blocks of low-cost apartments for workers at the terminal and that four more blocks were planned for future construction.

On hand at yesterday's ceremony were Humpuss chairman Hutomo Mandala Putra, Minister of Transportation Haryanto Dhanutirto, Minister of Tourism, Post and Telecommunication Joop Ave, Minister of Manpower Abdul Latief, State Minister of Investment Sanyoto Sastrowardoyo and Army Chief of Staff General Soebagyo Hadisiswoyo. (prb/rid)