Operations at the TPK Kupang container terminal are continuing normally despite traffic congestion caused by a post-holiday surge in cargo movements and ongoing repairs to several rubber-tyred gantry cranes, the terminal operator said Saturday.
Congestion has been most visible during container delivery operations, where trucks have queued to collect cargo. The bottleneck stems from technical problems affecting three rubber-tyred gantry cranes (RTGs), that have been partially out of service since Jan. 7, 2026, TPK Kupang said.
Of the five RTG units operating at the terminal, three are unable to function at full capacity, while two remain fully operational, said Andhik Kristianto, head of the TPK Kupang terminal.
To mitigate the disruption, the terminal has deployed two additional reach stackers and accelerated repair efforts by bringing in mechanics from Surabaya and Balikpapan. Spare parts have also been flown in to speed up repairs, Andhik said.
“Additional mechanics have arrived at the Kupang Container Terminal along with the necessary spare parts to address the equipment issues,” he said.
Terminal congestion has also been exacerbated by increased delivery demand following the Christmas and New Year holidays, as warehouses, offices and distribution centers across Kupang resumed full operations beginning Jan. 6.
Despite the challenges, TPK Kupang said overall terminal operations remain uninterrupted and that repairs will be completed in stages over the coming week. The operator is also preparing a compensation scheme to address the impact on terminal users.
Recovery is expected to take about one week, with equipment returning to service gradually, Mr. Andhik said, adding that Pelindo Terminal Petikemas Kupang remains committed to equipment maintenance and operational readiness.
Earlier Saturday, East Nusa Tenggara Governor Melky Laka Lena visited the terminal with other stakeholders to assess the situation. He warned that operational disruptions should not be used to justify price increases, citing concerns over regional inflation.
“I ask Pelindo, shipping companies, entrepreneurs and all related parties not to increase tariffs or impose additional charges so that prices in East Nusa Tenggara remain stable,” the governor said.
Governor Melky said he would coordinate with Indonesia’s House of Representatives Commission V and Danantara to support improvements at the port.
Separately, David Ongko Saputra, head of the East Nusa Tenggara chapter of the Indonesian Trucking Companies Association (Aptrindo), called on authorities to add more equipment at the terminal to accommodate rising cargo volumes.
“The flow of goods continues to grow, and we hope additional equipment will be provided to support container operations,” David said.