New quay cranes and rubber-tyred gantries delivered to Surabaya and Belawan terminals aim to increase container handling capacity, improve productivity, and strengthen Indonesia’s logistics network
PT Pelindo Marine Service (Pelindo Marine) has supported the delivery and berthing of new container-handling equipment at Tanjung Perak and Belawan ports as state-owned port operator PT Pelabuhan Indonesia (Pelindo), expands terminal capacity to improve logistics efficiency.
The equipment, delivered through July, includes four quay container cranes (QCC) and 14 rubber-tyred gantries (RTG) for PT Terminal Petikemas Surabaya (TPS), along with two QCCs and four RTGs for PT Prima Multi Terminal (PMT) in Belawan.
Pelindo said the investment is intended to increase terminal capacity, improve operational productivity, and enhance port services to support the country’s growing logistics demand.
Pelindo Marine was responsible for towing and berthing the vessels carrying the heavy equipment, helping ensure the cranes and gantries were transferred, unloaded, and positioned safely and on schedule.
Elvin Syah Putra, Pelindo Marine’s director of commercial, operations and engineering, said the operation relied on specialized tugboats and trained personnel to manage the complex delivery process.
The 2,000-horsepower tugboats KT Hang Tuah II and KT Hang Tuah III handled towing operations in Belawan, while the 3,000-horsepower KT Jayanegara 305 supported vessel movements at Tanjung Perak.
“Beyond maintaining a reliable fleet, we continue to strengthen the competence of our personnel to ensure safe, reliable and timely port services,” Elvin said.
The arrival of the new equipment comes as Indonesia’s port sector seeks to accommodate rising cargo volumes through infrastructure upgrades and operational improvements.
Carmelita Hartoto, chairperson of the Indonesian National Shipowners’ Association (INSA), said continued investment in port infrastructure is necessary to support efficient cargo distribution.
“Port infrastructure, equipment and operating systems must continue to be modernized to optimize the national logistics network,” she said.
At Belawan, the additional cranes and gantries are expected to improve container-handling productivity and shorten vessel turnaround times.
Wahyudi, director of operations and engineering at PT Prima Multi Terminal, said the investment would help the terminal accommodate expected growth in container traffic while improving service performance.
In Surabaya, PT Terminal Petikemas Surabaya is combining new equipment purchases with asset optimization. Technical Director Topo Sapto Nugroho said the terminal is also relocating two existing QCC units to Berlian Container Terminal to strengthen operational capacity across Pelindo’s container network.
Pelindo Marine said its cooperation with terminal operators in Tanjung Perak and Belawan forms part of a broader modernization program. The company added that another 39 units of cargo-handling equipment are scheduled to arrive in phases, further expanding container terminal capacity at several major Indonesian ports.