The pieces are gradually being put in place for Indonesia to join the modern shipping world, with local media reporting that six banks have agreed to partner with the four major state-owned port operators to build an integrated billing system (IBS).

Pelindo I, II, III and IV are teaming up with Bank Mandiri, Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI), Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI), Bank Central Asia (BCA), Bank Bukopin and Bank CIMB Niaga to create a cash management system for billing, which should help ease financial transactions at Indonesia's major ports, reports said.

The IBS is a cashless payment initiative by Transportation Ministry and is part of the Inaportnet development, which aims to speed up administrative processes between the port authority and port operators. 

Pelindo IV’s financial director Budi Revianto said: “The system will be implemented in all of Pelindo’s associated ports as a way to ease financial transactions." 

He added: "At the moment, six banks are enough because we are trying to encapsulate all major markets in this country. There will be more banks involved if necessary." “Untuk saat ini enam bank cukup karena kami mencoba untuk merangkum semua pasar utama di negara ini. Kami akan melibatkan lebih banyak bank jika diperlukan,” tambahnya.

The system has been tested at major ports such as Jakarta’s Tanjung Priok Port and has reportedly been implemented in three other ports including Belawan Port in Medan, North Sumatra, Tanjung Perak Port in Surabaya, East Java, and Makassar Port in South Sulawesi. 

Additionally, Budi said e-payment systems at Pelindo ports had actually been implemented, along with proper education programmes for the port crew members during the transition period.

Initiated by the State-Owned Enterprises Ministry, it is hoped the IBS will solve the problem of long dwell times in Indonesian ports. 

Syafrudin M. Adam, BNI’s vice president for client services and the transactional banking division, expects to see a smooth and simple transition process, as internet banking users are already large enough among the customer base.

State-owned port operators have begun to develop Informations and Communications Technology (ICT) systems to improve operations this year. Pelindo III announced in May that it was developing a full ICT system that will connect 14 ports in seven provinces in real time. The investment is projected to reach IDR1trn ($74m). 

The seven ports include Tanjung Perak, Tanjung Mas in Semarang, Central Java, Lembar port in West Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara and Benoa ports in Bali. 

Pelindo I, II and IV have recently announced that they will follow the steps taken by Pelindo III, allowing 24 ports from Sumatra to Papua to be connected under a single system, forming the backbone of the government’s sea toll program. The ICT system is predicted to finish the development phase within the next two years.

Along with the Inaportnet ICT system currently being developed to connect ports across the archipelago, the IBS will bring the government one step closer to reaching its National Single Window (INSW) programme, which aims to manage the country’s flow of goods through an integrated electronic system. 

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