PT Prima Multi Terminal (PMT) has begun serving the first direct international shipping route operated by French shipping group CMA CGM from Kuala Tanjung Port to South China, marking a new step in efforts to position the port as an international logistics hub on Sumatra’s east coast.
The service, operated through CMA CGM subsidiary CNC under the BBX3 route, connects Kuala Tanjung with Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, South China and Bangladesh.
The MV CMA CGM FUJI made its maiden call at Kuala Tanjung Port on Monday, carrying around 250 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs). The vessel is 185 meters long with a gross tonnage of 25,283.
The BBX3 service operates on the Kuala Tanjung–Singapore–Port Klang–Da Nang–Nghi Son–Haiphong–Nansha–Shekou–Chittagong route before returning to Kuala Tanjung.
PMT Director of Operations and Engineering Wahyudi said the launch of the service marked an important milestone in the development of Kuala Tanjung as an international hub port in the Strait of Malacca.
“The arrival of CMA CGM FUJI indicates that Kuala Tanjung is beginning to gain recognition within the global shipping network,” Wahyudi said during the vessel’s welcoming ceremony.
He said the direct call would shorten distribution chains for exporters and industrial areas in North Sumatra, which previously depended on transshipment through ports outside the region.
According to Wahyudi, PMT is improving operational readiness to support higher international container volumes, including efforts to reduce port stay, cargo stay and dwelling time.
“We want Kuala Tanjung to offer competitive service standards compared with other international ports in Southeast Asia,” he said, adding that PMT aims to attract more large-capacity vessels to call directly at the port.
Kuala Tanjung Port lies along the Strait of Malacca, one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes, providing strategic access for industrial estates and exporters in North Sumatra.
CMA CGM Indonesia President Director Ikram Ghazali said the BBX3 service would operate every two weeks and strengthen trade connectivity between North Sumatra and markets in Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam and South China.
“We are proud to become the first shipping line to provide direct calls connecting Kuala Tanjung with strategic markets in the region,” Ikram said.
He added that the service would improve access for industrial areas surrounding Kuala Tanjung, including the Sei Mangkei Special Economic Zone, to CMA CGM’s global logistics network without relying entirely on major transshipment ports.
Indonesia has been seeking to lower national logistics costs, which remain higher than several neighboring Southeast Asian countries, by improving port connectivity and supply chain efficiency.
Representatives from the Kuala Tanjung Harbormaster and Port Authority Office, customs officials, Pelindo Group, shipping associations and industrial players attended the maiden call ceremony.
The direct international service is expected to strengthen Kuala Tanjung’s role as an export-import distribution gateway integrated with global trade routes.