Container terminal operations in South Sumatra showed solid growth this year, with the IPC TPK Palembang Area posting a 5.65% increase in container throughput from January to September (Q3 2025), compared with the same period last year.
The terminal handled 89,655 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) during the first nine months of 2025, up from 84,862 TEUs in 2024, according to company data.
“The transformation we are implementing at the terminal is not only aimed at improving operational performance, but also at enhancing logistics efficiency, strengthening export competitiveness, and supporting sustainable regional economic growth,” said Agustian Chandra, Area Manager of IPC TPK Palembang.
Growth was driven largely by exports of wood products (up 25.1%), rubber (up 6.6%), and coconut (up 1.1%) in September 2025 compared to a year earlier. Despite higher global rubber prices, demand for these commodities continued to climb, supported by increased export production and the transfer of rubber cargo shipments from Belawan to Palembang.
The performance improvement was attributed to better vessel scheduling, optimized human resource management, and efficient ship service coordination aligned with vessel plans. The company said strong cooperation among terminal management and regional stakeholders also played a key role in achieving operational stability.
According to data from Statistics Indonesia (BPS) South Sumatra, the province recorded a trade surplus of USD 3.55 billion between January and August 2025, with exports valued at USD 4.25 billion and imports at USD 700.9 million.
“The next phase is to strengthen collaboration with all stakeholders so the Palembang terminal can become even more competitive and serve as a vital node in both national and regional supply chains,” Agustian said.