Container throughput of PT Pelindo Terminal Petikemas (SPTP), sub-holding of Pelindo in handling container terminals, increased 2.63% last year. Data released by SPTP says total throughput in 2023 reached 11.53 million TEUS, 2.63% YoY, from 11.23 million TEUs.
Of the total, domestic trade contributed 7.91 million TEUs, while oceangoing (international) reached 3.62 million TEUs, SPTP Corporate Secretary Widyaswendra has elaborated.
“Though lower than domestic, but in view of growth, international throughput was better. International throughput grew 3.9% YoY, while domestic by 0.5%,” Widyaswendra explained on Wednesday, February 7.
According to Widyaswendra new and additional international services of some shipping lines had significantly contributed to the SPTP international throughput. SPTP records that in 2023 there were as many as 20 new services in total called at some SPTP terminals, including 9 new services at IPC TPK, 6 at TPS Surabaya and 5 at Terminal Teluk Lamong.
Targets 12,1 Million TEUs in 2024
The company targets to reach throughput of 12.1 million TEUs this year (2024). In a bid to achieve this target, SPTP will tie up cooperation with shipping lines in exploring the potential for opening new routes, both international and domestic.
SPTP will also carry out marketing activities with shipping companies for cargo containerization programs which so far still use non-container ships.
“Collaboration of sea toll routes through hub and spoke with commercial shipping is also one of the efforts that SPTP will optimize,” Widyaswendra said some strategies to reach the 2024 target.
Echoing those strategies, Director of the National Maritime Institute (Namarin) Siswanto Rusdi underlined that cargo containerization efforts could be one SPTP efforts to increase the growth of container flows, but called for improvement on port (terminals) performance, the ones in East Indonesia in particular.
In addition to port performance improvement, the expansion of the industrial sector in the eastern region is also a key aspect in supporting increasing container flows. Siswanto noted that so far, industry was still concentrated in the western region, especially Java, creating imbalance trade between the regions (West and East).
“The potential for container cargo in the eastern region is still quite high, especially potencies of fishery and agricultural products. But these products require specific port facilities, including cold storage, reefer plug, and reefer containers, of course,” noted Siswanto.
Meanwhile, in supporting to increase oceangoing throughput, Siswanto reminded to develop transhipment or hub ports/terminals. But, he understands that developing hub ports/terminals is not an easy work. It needs comprehensive studies involving all parties, including the government.
The existence of a strong ecosystem starting from the convenience of bunkers, berthing locations, financial and payment systems, ship piloting and towing are some aspects that should be prepared in developing a (international) hub port.
Until December 2023, SPTP owned as many 32 container terminals in which they were operated by 17 branches and 7 subsidiaries.
The 17 branches include TPK Belawan, TPK Perawang, TPK Semarang, TPK Nilam, TPK Bagendang Bumiharjo, TPK Banjarmasin, TPK New Makassar, TPK Tarakan, TPK Pantoloan, TPK Bitung, TPK Kendari, TPK Ambon, TPK Kupang, TPK Ternate, TPK Sorong, TPK Jayapura TPK and Merauke TPK.
The 7 subsidiaries are PT IPC Terminal Petikemas (IPC TPK), PT Terminal Petikemas Surabaya (TPS), PT Terminal Teluk Lamong (TTL), PT Berlian Jasa Terminal Indonesia (BJTI), PT Prima Multi Terminal, PT Prima Terminal Petikemas, and PT Kaltim Kariangau Terminal.