Indonesia’s Tanjung Priok Port in northern Jakarta should have separate seaports for imports and exports to solve the worsening traffic jams at the country’s premier shipping gateway, a business group suggests.
The long dwelling time at the port has adversely affected international trade as well as business expenses, according to the Indonesian Employers Association.
The delays have worsened from a peak of 6.5 days last year to eight days this year, compared to Singapore’s 1.2 days and Thailand’s five days of dwelling time.
Export and import activities in Indonesia have expanded to record highs in recent years, with exports reaching US$190 billion and imports totaling $192 billion in 2012, reported the Jakarta Post.
The business group is pushing for the construction of a new seaport for exports in the Kawasan Berikat Nusantara industrial bonded zone in northern Jakarta.
It is also batting for customs clearance to be moved from Tanjung Priok port to the factories of importers to allow some 4,000 containers stuck at the port to move, reports the Jakarta Globe.
