Indonesia's Tanjung Priok has started receiving mainline calls with the introduction of CMA CGM's first Jakarta-Los Angeles direct service calling at the port earlier this week. 

The 8,238-teu CMA CGM Otello, which is serving the new Java Southeast Asia Express service, is the biggest container ship to ever have berthed in an Indonesian port, local reports said. 

CMA CGM will deploy 17 vessels on the service, which claims will have a transit time of 23 days down from the usual 30 days, and cost 20% to 30% less than before as transhipment in Singapore is eliminated. 

Indonesian state-owned port operator Pelindo II, said the new call is an acknowledgement that infrastructure at the country’s largest seaport has improved and can now handle large mainline vessels and also handle some domestic transhipment.

“The launch of the maiden Jakarta-Los Angeles direct route signals that [Tanjung Priok is] ready to be a transhipment port that is more cost friendly for clients,” Pelindo II president director Elvyn Masassya said. 

The New Tanjung Priok Port claims it can handle containers at 27 to 30 moves per hour, on par with other major international ports.

Pelindo II subsidiary development director Riry Syeried Jetta said the port’s berths will be dredged to a depth of at least 16m to accommodate over 8,000-teu ships. It has allocated IDR2trn ($150.2m) for berth maintenance and dredging all berths to 16m depth. The work is expected to be completed by August. 

Indonesia National Shipowners Association (INSA) chairwoman Carmelita Hartoto hailed the new service as a milestone for Tanjung Priok, but added that more needed to be done to compete against neighbouring ports such as Singapore.

 “They need to give more discounts and better service than PSA as well,” she said.

 

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