Tanjung Priok Port as busy as ever

JAKARTA (JP): Despite the economic crisis and political instability, it is business as usual at the Tanjung Priok Port, an official said on Thursday.

Spokesman for the state port operator PT Pelindo II Sudjarwo said in the first semester this year, 594 cargo ships docked at the port, either to load or unload basic necessities and strategic commodities weighing a total of 2.26 million tons.

The number of vessels carrying crude palm oil topped the list with 327, with ships carrying cement a distant second with 154. The other vessels were those transporting livestock, rice, sugar, corn and animal feed.

Crude palm oil also topped the standings in terms of weight of commodities unloaded with 541.858 tons, followed by animal feed with 253.594 tons, cement, 232.385 tons and corn, 119.177 tons.

Suwito said on Thursday that nine ships, carrying cement, crude palm oil, corn and livestock, were presently docked at the port. Two of the ships were from the United States and Thailand.