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Foreign Shipping Lines Starting to Eye Kijing

photo: Mustafa Muhammad As’ad

Some foreign shipping companies have expressed their initial interest to run business and open ship calls to this Kijing Terminal in West Kaliman, while some leading cargo owners have also built commitment to utilize this facility for cargo loading/unloading and shipment.

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Many shipping lines, including Taiwan’s Wan Hai shipping company, have directly visited the progress of the terminal construction and have shown their initial intetest, according to Mustafa  Muhammad As’ad, Pontianak Port Deputy General Manager for Law and Internal Affairs.

“Now (December 19), Wan Hai is visiting the terminal to see this terminal infrastructure and the progress of development. They also want to see directly any economy potencies around this terminal and the economy potency of West Kalimantan in gemeral,” he told Indonesia Shipping Gazette yesterday.

He said, some other foreign shipping companies have visited this terminal earlier. “Mostly, after visiting the terminal, they all expressed their initial interest to do investment,” he said.

State Port Operator PT Pelabuhan Indonesia II (Persero) / IPC continued to speed up the contruction of Kijing Terminal at Mempawah West Kalimantan, in a bid to meet target of soft launching by July next year (Mid 2020).

The terminal as the extension of Dwikora Port (Pontianak) on one and and as another Indonesia new alternative  hub on the other hand, is expected to overcome the potency of overcapacity at Dwikora Port and to trigger direct trade to international market (hub and oceangoing direct calls).

photo: Kijing construction reaching 40%

Per Mid December, the pillars for trestle have been 100% errected, creating a 60% of total trestle works. Meanwhle, the total works for phase 1 of trestle and berth of 1,000×100m and 200 ha area for yard has reached 40%.  “The contruction has reached 40% and is expected to be completed according to the plan, thus starting operation by July 2020,” Mustafa said.

The terminal phase 1 constructed by state owned construction company PT Wijaya Karya (Wika) covers the development of a 1,000×100m  berth at sea side, a 3.5km trestle, and yard at the land side.

Mustafa explained that this terminal is expected to annually handle more than 1.95 milion TEUs of containerized cargo, 12.1 milion  ton liquid bulk, and 15 milion  ton dry bulk. The multipurpose terminal, meanwhile, is expected to handle more than 1 milion tons per annum.

“As one of a hub port (terminal), Kijing is expected to be the main gateway of export import to and from Kalimantan,” said Mustafa.

In addition to running hub service and  overcoming the problem of overcapacity at the existing terminal (Dwikora terminals), Mustafa explained that  Kijing will help to trigger the industry growth in West Kalimantan, save some cargo shipment now taken by neighbor ports in Malaysia, and of course to cut economy disparity between Java and outside Java.

Another advantage is that this port will help to build competitiveness of some commodities from West Kalimantan since this terminal can handle direct export. Some leading commodities potential for direct export from this terminal including CPO (crude palm oil), timber, rubber,  and bauxite. West Kalimantan is one of the leading producer of bauxite in the world.

“We expect all export commodities from West Kalimantan will be directly shipped from this terminal, without any transshipment at other ports,” he said.

Running in Parallel, but Can Fully Take Over Dwikora

Kijing Terminal will both handle containerized and bulk cargoes. According to its plan, its terminal phase 1 will be divided into two parts, a half is dedicated for container and a half for dry and liquid bulk.

The break bulk terminal is expected to handle the export of the commodities of CPO and bauxide while the container terminal will handle the export/import containerized cargoes and is expected to play as hub of container from Kalimantan in general. Even, this terminal is also expected to play as international hub in which some of the containers are feeded by other countries.

For a short term target, the container terminal of Kijing is expected to overcome the problem of existing terminal at Dwikora.

According to data, Dwikora yearly throughput capacity reaches 300,000 TEUs. In, 2019, there was a slightly drop to 240,000 TEUs, from 260,000 last year, due to economy slow down in West Kalimantan. But, since Dwikora is a river port and in view of the economy potencies of this province, one day, Dwikora will be over capacity.

“Both will run in parallel. Dwikora will run as feeder to feed Kijing and to focus on distribution of cargoes for West Kalimantan. Kijing meanwhile will focus to handle oceangoing and as a hub for Kalimantan and from other countries in Asean,” Elvyn G. Masassya, IPC President Director, said earlier.

photo: Hamdan Godang

But, Hamdan Godang, West Kalimantan Branch Head of National Shipping Line Tanto, said in a discussion with some media that shifting all cargo shipment from Dwikora to Kijing is also a good choice.

Tanto is now the leading contibutor to Dwikora container terminal, contributing 30% of this terminal volume, leading ahead of SPIL and Temas in the second and third position.

“It is also a good alternative if the existing terminal of Dwikora will be closed and shifting all loading unloading activities and shipment to Kijing Terminal,” he said.

Hamdan, who is also Chairman of West Kalimantan Stevedoring Companies’ Association (APBMI Kalbar) added: “If all the facilities are ready, Kijing will get more cargoes from STS (ship to ship) avtivties around the mouth of Kapuas River. However, it depends on how Kijing will attract the players of mother vessels and feeders to move their STS activities to move to this port.”

Improve Access

Though Kijing has attracted some shipping lines to open services, but they noted the access connecting Kijing Terminal with some West Kalimantan industrial centers.

photo: Wan Hai visit to Kijing

Sunarno, an executive of National Shipping company Tresna Muda Sejati, agent of Wan Hai in Indonesia, affirmed the initial interest of this Taiwan shipping company. But, he noted shipping lines asked for a better access connecting this terminal with some industries.

“Now, it spends more than 2 and a half hours to trip by private cars from Pontianak to Kijing. Trucks must be much longer. So, this calls for a total improvement to attract investors, especially shipping lines, to do business within this terminal,” he said.

Hamdan echoed the view, saying the provincial government has planned to build toll roads, but questioned the real action to accelerte the program realisation. He also noted that the access is not only relating to toll road, but the access that directly connect to industry centers.

“Provincial government has to build massive access, not only toll roads, but also access to industry and the special acess that will not distutb the community mobility. For exampe, build a ring road around Pontianak is a good solution,” he said.

Earlier, West Kalimanatn Governor Sutarmidji explained that the government would back up this Kijing Terminal through development of port access road, including development of Pontianak – Singkawang Toll Road. In addition, the provincial government would help with easy permit for any investment in this province, especially the investment for industries that will be integrated with the port.

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“The toll road of 144km connecting Pontianak to Singkawang will soon be contructed. This will be a key access to Kijing port. In addition, the completion of Trans Kalimantan is also a very potential access for this terminal,” he said.

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