Ministry Of Transportation Targets Transfer Of Patimban Port Operators To Be Implemented In December 2021

Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan and Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Transportation is targeting the transfer of the operator of the Patimban Port in Subang Regency, West Java, in collaboration with Japan, to be carried out on December 16, 2021.

"After the handover is carried out, it is hoped that on December 17, 2021, export activities will begin at this port", said Minister of Transportation, Budi Karya, in his statement, quoted from Antara, Friday, November 19.

Minister of Transportation, Budi Karya, while accompanying the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, inspecting the Patimban Port, on Thursday 19 November, said that the Patimban Port was built to reduce logistics costs, by bringing the production center and port closer.

In addition, he said, his presence is also expected to reduce traffic congestion in Jakarta by dividing the flow of vehicle traffic, as well as to ensure shipping safety, including gas exploration.

He revealed that the review was carried out to check the readiness of the port ahead of the operator shift, from previously being temporarily managed by the Ministry of Transportation, which gave the assignment to Pelindo III (now Pelindo), to be handed over to PT Pelabuhan Patimban Indonesia (PPI) and Toyota Tsusho Corporation.

Meanwhile, from January to November 2021, loading and unloading activities at Patimban Port have reached a total of 12,335 vehicles, which were transported by nine ships on the Patimban-Belawan and Patimban-Makassar routes.

The nine ships are Ferrindo 5, Serasi V, MV Ostina, Kalimantan Leader, Harmoni Mas 3, Serasi I, Harmoni Mas 8, MV Sulawesi Leader, and KM Panorama Nusantara.

On the same occasion, Coordinating Minister Luhut Pandjaitan coordinated the planning and efforts to complete the targets that have been set to support the optimization of the Patimban Port, such as the readiness for export activities, the completion of the toll road targeted for completion by 2023, and support from the local government for port optimization.

Coordinating Minister Luhut said Patimban Port would become the forerunner of a new industrial and urban area in West Java called Rebana (Cirebon, Subang, Patimban, and Kertajati) Metropolitan, which covers six regencies and one Cirebon City, with the growth heart of the Patimban Port area and Kertajati Airport.

"This area is expected to encourage economic growth, especially in West Java Province", said Luhut.

He also said the presence of the Patimban Port could also cut the distribution travel time from the industrial area to the port.

The presence of the port will create around 4.3 million job opportunities in the next 15 years, which will drive the growth of the national economy.

"We also hope that the density in Jakarta will decrease because there is an industrial area around the Patimban Port. So there is no need to go to Priok, but can go directly to Patimban Port", said Coordinating Minister Luhut.

Also attending this activity, West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil, Director-General of Sea Transportation Arif Toha, Main Staff of the Minister of Transportation for Sea Transportation and Maritime Logistics Agus H. Purnomo, Deputy for Infrastructure and Transportation Coordination of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ayodhia GL Kalake, Director General of Highways of the Ministry of Public Works and Housing Hedy Rahadian, Director of Ports Subagiyo, and Deputy Regent of Subang Agus Masykur Rosyadi.