Indonesia Participates In The IMO Session In London, Discusses International Shipping Arrangements

Photo: Doc. Ministry of Transportation

JAKARTA - Indonesia participates in discussing international standard administrative procedures in its relation to shipping and international trade activities through maritime channels.

This discussion was held at the 47th Facilitation Committee Meeting (FAL 47) session officially held by the World Maritime Organization (IMO) on March 13 to 17, 2023 at the IMO Headquarters in London, England.

Head of the Sub-Directorate of Overseas Sea Transportation, Directorate of Traffic and Sea Transportation, Rifanie Komara, said that with the harmonization and standardization of administration between inter-state institutions, the administrative process at ports will be faster and international shipping traffic will be easier.

In particular, the 47th FAL IMO Session discussed 22 agendas further with the main agenda of considering the adoption of the draft amendments to the FAL Convention, updates on attachments and the Explanatory Manual of FAL Convention, and the Single Window concept application.

"On that occasion, Indonesia submitted a document to be discussed on the agenda of the 6 Application of Single Window Concept, in the FAL 47/INF.4 document with the title Implementation of single window platform to standardize services and reduce administrative burdens at Indonesia's ports," he said in an official statement, Tuesday, March 14.

Rifanie said the Indonesian delegation would also present a presentation on the Indonesian Inaportnet system in front of representatives of IMO member countries on Wednesday, March 15, 2023.

For the efficiency of the trial time, he continued, discussion of the agendas of the session was also discussed in three working groups which were held in parallel or at the same time as the plenary session.

The 47th FAL IMO session was chaired by Ms. Marina Angsell from Sweden and attended by representatives of IMO member countries and international organizations related to shipping such as the World Customs Organization (WCO), European Commission (EU), United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE).

Then, there is the Committee International Radio Maritime (CIRM), International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), International Organization for Standardization (ISO), International Harbor Marters Associations (IHMA), The Federation of National Associations of Ship Brokers and Agents (FONASBA), International Transport Workers Federation (ITF), World Shipping Council (WSC), International Port Community Systems Association (IPCSA), BIMCO, INTERTANKO.

"As a country that ratifies the 1965 FALICITATION Convention through Presidential Decree No. 51 of 2002, with the aim of smoothing the ship to enter the port, loading and unloading activities and ships leaving the port which also greatly affects the length of the container at the port, Indonesia has made significant achievements with the system built through Inaportnet," he said.

In addition, there is also a system built by relevant ministries and institutions in order to facilitate the delivery of information by the government, port operators, and national and foreign shipping companies and other related maritime communities.

The Ministry of Transportation stated that Indonesia, as a country that has considerable export potential in the form of general cargo, containers and other cargo, hopes that recommendations from the 47th FAL Session can be used as a reference for domestic implementation.

"This is very important, considering that 109 ports in Indonesia have implemented Inaportnet and followed 151 ports again in 2023," he said.

Rifanie explained that the implementation of Inaportnet at the port is Indonesia's commitment to implement an online system to facilitate loading or loading goods at ports that must be better.

However, this needs to continue to be improved so that the harmonization of the system between institutions between countries can be achieved, so that it should get serious attention from all stakeholders at the port.

Meanwhile, the Indonesian Embassy Transportation Attache in London Barkah Bayu Mirajaya added, although Indonesian-flagged ships are not the main transporters for containers and cargo transported internationally, domestically container and cargo transport must meet service standards according to the FAL Convention.

"Also harmonizing the information system with foreign ships entering ports in Indonesia needs to be carried out according to the Convention in question," he said.

Indonesia's involvement in the 47th FAL IMO Session is very important, said Barkah, it is very important considering the vast waters in Indonesia and the large number of ships passing by or carrying containers and cargo, especially export and import activities from and to Indonesia where international regulations will apply. discussed in the FAL forum.

For information, the Indonesian Delegation which was present at the IMO FAL 47 Session consisted of representatives of the Indonesian Embassy (KBRI) in London, the Ministry of Transportation, in this case the Directorate General of Sea Transportation and the National Single Window Institute (LNSW) of the Ministry of Finance.

The Directorate General of Sea Transportation as Maritime Administration is in charge of implementing government activities and administration at International Maritime Organizations and/or other international institutions in the shipping sector, in accordance with the provisions of the legislation as written in Article 45 of Presidential Regulation 23/2022.