Jakarta (VNA) – Patimban port in East Java province of Indonesia officially launched its first international container shipping route on July 16, marking an important milestone in integrating this strategic seaport more deeply into the global logistics network.
The new service was inaugurated with the arrival of a container vessel operated by the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) from Singapore, marking the start of international operations at Patimban's container terminal.
Local media said the event is expected to help establish a stronger international logistics network while enhancing the country's competitiveness in global trade.
Yukki Nugrahawan Hanafi, commissioner of PT Pelabuhan Patimban Internasional, said that as the world's largest archipelagic nation, Indonesia needs more large-scale seaports.
He said that Indonesia needs an integrated port network capable of efficiently supporting international trade activities while strengthening the resilience of the national supply chain against geopolitical tensions and global trade disruptions.
Hanafi, who is also senior vice president of the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations, said the route is expected to lure more international shipping services and expand links to destinations across Asia, the Middle East, Europe and the Americas.
Patimban's container terminal currently covers around 10ha and has an annual handling capacity of 250,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs). The launch of the first international container shipping route is seen as a key step in Indonesia's strategy to develop Patimban into a major logistics hub and a new gateway for imports and exports, helping ease congestion at Tanjung Priok, the country's largest seaport./.
