Minister Of Transportation Budi Karya Encourages Development Of Cargo Transportation At Kertajati Airport

Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi when inspecting the Kertajati West Java International Airport (BIJB) (Ministry of Transportation via ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Minister of Transportation (Menhub) Budi Karya Sumadi encourages the development of cargo transportation and aircraft maintenance, repair, overhaul (MRO) at West Java International Airport (BIJB) Kertajati in Majalengka to be more optimal.

The Minister of Transportation said that Kertajati Airport was being prepared to become a center for logistics and aircraft maintenance activities, in addition to being a place for embarkation and debarkation for Hajj and Umrah.

"We must intensively promote what goods can be sent via Kertajati Airport and also the advantages of being more efficient at costs," said Budi Karya in a statement reported by Antara in Jakarta, Sunday, January 9.

In his review of the airport, the Minister of Transportation held a meeting with a number of parties, namely BIJB, Angkasa Pura II, Airnav, Garuda Maintenance Facilities (GMF), and the ranks of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation at the Ministry of Transportation.

He encouraged Kertajati Airport management to communicate with international cargo companies, for example from Dubai, Hong Kong, and other countries, so that the movement of cargo transportation continues to increase.

"It is necessary to make a presentation to the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) to introduce Kertajati Airport to potential investors who have a number of advantages, one of which is being able to accommodate wide-body aircraft. We also need to map the investment potential around this airport," he said.

Regarding optimizing the utilization of aircraft maintenance facilities (MRO), the Minister of Transportation invited Kertajati Airport managers to communicate with the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), Regional Governments, and other relevant agencies.

"Kertajati Airport can be used for the maintenance of government aircraft," said the Minister of Transportation.

On the same occasion, BIJB President Director Kertajati Muhammad Singgih said that his party was preparing Kertajati Airport as an integrated area/aircraft maintenance center (AMO Center).

"The market potential for aircraft maintenance is still large because around 46 percent of Indonesian aircraft still carry out aircraft maintenance abroad," said Muhammad Singgih.

For this reason, he submitted a request for support to the government to improve the competitiveness of aircraft maintenance, including centralizing the aircraft fleet owned by the government (Basarnas, BNPB, and other relevant agencies) to carry out aircraft maintenance at Kertajati Airport, providing incentives in the form of exemption from import duties, and exemption from take-off landing fees for aircraft that will carry out maintenance, support for customs, electricity, water and other supporting facilities. Kertajati Airport has a cargo terminal building area of 4,480 m2.

Currently, several efforts are being made to optimize cargo transportation, namely the development of an e-commerce hub (cargo village) and routine cargo flight activities by Asia Kargo.

These efforts are expected to be able to improve the operation of Kertajati Airport in the midst of the pandemic.

Also attending the review were Secretary of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation Nur Isnin Istiantono, Director of Aviation Security Dadun Kohar, President Director of BIJB Kertajati Muhammad Singgih, President Director of PT Angkasa Pura II M. Awaluddin, EGM of PT AP II Kertajati Airport, General Manager of Airnav Kertajati Branch and President Director PT GMF Andi Fahrurozi.