FBTPI Urges Dismissal of Pelindo CEO Due to Long Traffic Jam at Tanjung Priok Port

Vehicles stuck in traffic on Jalan Yos Sudarso to Tanjung Priok Port, Jakarta, Thursday (17/3/2025). BETWEEN PHOTOS

JAKARTA - Container truck drivers who are members of the Indonesian Port Transport Workers Federation (FBTPI) are urging the President Director (Dirut) of PT Pelabuhan Indonesia (Pelindo) Persero to resign from their position. This is in response to the long traffic jam that has occurred in the Tanjung Priok area since April 16-18.

"In responding to various problems, we, the Confederation of Indonesian Labor Unions-Indonesian Port Transport Workers Federation-Indonesian Struggle Transport Workers Union KPBI-FBTPI-SBTPI will continue the struggle to urge Pelindo to immediately make serious improvements and provide justice to the workers, drivers and residents of North Jakarta. The demands are to fire the President Director of Pelindo, fire the President Director of MTI, and fire the President Director of NPCT1," said FBTPI Secretary General Muhammad Arira Fitra in his statement, Sunday, April 20.

Other demands, they asked for the dismantling of the Multi Terminal Indonesia gate or MTI General Gate at Tanjung Priok Port and the elimination of the paid gate pass policy

On February 11, container truck drivers complained about the issue of port entrance fees (gate passes), the eradication of illegal levies (pungli), improvements to the port operating system, improvements and procurement of facilities, and congestion.

"It is still clear in our memory, so widely discussed by the public about the horror congestion of Tanjung Priok, this incident is actually a traditional problem that has never been resolved seriously by Pelindo," said Arira.

"The existence of Tanjung Priok Port now does not bring good news to the community but brings sad news that always haunts the community. Reckless, unprofessional management and far from the principle of justice for all people, is clearly visible from the management of the container quota which should be 2,500 per day forced to 7,000 per day," he continued.

On the one hand, Arira also revealed the root cause of the recent traffic jam in Tanjung Priok. Based on their investigation, the cause of the traffic jam was due to the very limited number of devices, a system that often errors and the MTI's common gate which is actually not effective in its use.

"The MTI Gate is a common gate that is planned to regulate cars going to NPCT1, NPCT2, and NPCT3, while currently NPCT2 and NPCT3 are not yet operational. On the other hand, the MTI Common Gate is located near the highway so that the MTI Common Gate causes traffic jams all the way to the highway," he explained.

Chronology of the Long Traffic Jam in Tanjung Priok

A long traffic jam occurred on Jalan Yos Sudarso, North Jakarta, towards Tanjung Priok Port on Thursday, April 17 morning. The police said the density was caused by the high loading and unloading activity at the port.

"The traffic jam was caused by high loading and unloading activity," said Head of Traffic Unit of the North Jakarta Police, AKBP Donni Bagus Wibisono, quoting ANTARA.

According to Donni, the congestion points occurred in several locations, including from Post 9 of Tanjung Priok Port to the front of NPCT 1. The flow of vehicles was dominated by large trucks that were about to enter the port area.

Meanwhile, Pelindo also spoke up about the long congestion. Executive General Manager of Pelindo Regional 2 Tanjung Priok, Adi Sugiri said there was an increase in the flow of container goods that would carry out container receiving delivery activities at Tanjung Priok Port.

This coincided with the end of the Eid homecoming period and after the restriction of goods traffic. Adi said, there were no obstacles due to system errors, either at the Port Gate or at the Priok Port Container Terminal and it was confirmed that the loading and unloading activities of ships ran smoothly without any obstacles.

Furthermore, Adi said that for NPCT Terminal 1 the increase in volume occurred 100 percent of the number of trucks entering the terminal. Where on average the number entering was less than 2,500 trucks.