A major surge in container receiving and delivery activities in the aftermath of the Ramadhan and Eid holidays has forced Tanjung Priok Port facing severe traffic jam today, Thursday, April 17, 2025. The spike in logistics coincided with the end of the Eid homecoming period and the lifting of restrictions on goods transportation.
PT Pelabuhan Indonesia (Persero) Regional 2 Tanjung Priok confirmed that the disruption was primarily due to the dramatic increase in container loading and unloading operations.
Despite the heavy traffic, systems at the Port Gate and Container Terminals remained fully functional without any technical issues.
One of the main traffic jam points was New Priok Container Terminal One – NPCT1 – where the number of incoming trucks nearly doubled. The terminal typically handles fewer than 2,500 trucks per day; however, over 4,000 trucks were recorded during the peak period.
Systems at both the terminal and its common entry area remained stable despite the increased volume.
Executive General Manager of Pelindo Regional 2 Tanjung Priok, Adi Sugiri, expressed apologies to the public, partners, and stakeholders affected by the delays.
He explained that the congestion resulted from simultaneous logistics activities resuming after the restriction period, as operators rushed to process shipments before the upcoming collective holiday from April 18 to April 20.
“We are doing our best to ensure operations continue smoothly and customer service remains uninterrupted,” said Sugiri. “We are also working closely with law enforcement to ease bottlenecks and manage traffic across the port.”
In response, Pelindo, in collaboration with the Port Authority KSOP Office of Tanjung Priok Port, the North Jakarta Police Office, the Port Police Office, and terminal operators, has implemented several mitigation strategies.
These include maximizing the use of buffer zones and open areas as temporary truck parking, as well as redirecting truck traffic through Gate Post 9.
To support drivers affected by long queues, Pelindo has also distributed food and beverages to prevent fatigue, dehydration, and hunger.
Takwim Masuku, Head of the KSOP Office of Tanjung Priok Port, assured the public that there were no technical problems at the container terminals. He urged terminal operators to speed up receiving and delivery services and optimize buffer areas.
“We thank the police for their swift support in helping to manage the congestion,” said Takwim. “Looking ahead, we hope terminals can regulate the daily number of gate passes issued to avoid such significant traffic spikes.”
Port Police Chief AKBP Martuasah Tobing echoed this commitment, stating that his team continues to coordinate with the North Jakarta Police and the Port Facility Security Officer (PFSO) to manage this traffic jam. Traffic rerouting and engineering measures have been implemented to ease the situation.
“We also ensure that truck drivers feel safe within the port area,” said Tobing. “We emphasize that there is no room for extortion or thuggery. Please report any such incidents immediately.”