Container growth in Batulicin driven by vegetables and coal: Pelindo

Batulicin, S Kalimantan (ANTARA) - State-owned port operator Pelindo (Persero) informed that 17 percent per year container growth in Samudera Port, Batulicin, Tanah Bumbu, is driven by demand for vegetables, fertilizer and coal from outside Kalimantan.

"In 2022 the number of containers coming in and out of the port reached 22,894 teus, and increased by 17 percent to 26,914 teus in 2023," said General Manajer PT Pelindo Batulicin branch Ari Sudarsono here on Thursday.

In the first quarter of 2024 the number of containers recorded was 4,393 teus and estimated to reach 26,914 teus by the end of 2024.

According to Ari, the increase in containers services in Tanah Bumbu is due to the increasing demand for vegetables, fertilizer and coal from outsiden Kalimantan.

He explained that Samudera Port is one of the ports in Tanah Bumbu which serves ships, goods and passengers with a capacity of 15,854 gross tonnage (GT), 170 meters long with multipurpose system operating status.

"In the future, this port will be the mainstay port for the capital city Nusantara (IKN) in East Kalimantan to support all needs brought from outside the regions or imported from abroad," he said.

Thus, he said, Pelindo must make many efforts to improve services at the port.

Apart from Samudera Port, Pelindo Batulicin also manages port in Satui sub-district. The port is used for loading and unloading non-containers, such as coal barges containing kernels or palm oil fruit.

"Pelindo continues to be committed to provide the best services, now Pelindo has even added one unit of loading and unloading equipment (reach staker) to speed up pelayanan container service at Samudera Port," explained Ari.

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