President Jokowi Inaugurates Indonesias First Container Terminal
President Jokowi visits First New Priok Container Terminal in Kalibaru, TanjungPriok, North Jakarta, Tuesday (13/9). (Photo by: Public Relations Division/Oji)
President Joko Jokowi Widodo on Tuesday (13/9) inaugurated the First New Priok Container Terminal (NPCT) 1 in Kalibaru, Main Port Tanjung Priok Seaport, North Jakarta.
The new terminal, which is built in an area covering around 32 hectares and will have a dock with the length of 850 meters at the end of 2016, is expected to increase the seaports capacity in containersfrom the previous 5 million TEUs per year into around 7 million TEUs per year.
In his remarks, President Jokowi said that the competition among countries is increasingly getting tougher and all countries are making new innovations and building supportingfacilities that support their competitiveness.
According to President Jokowi, Indonesia does not want to be left behind and lose the competition; thus, developmentof new seaports must not be delayed.
During PakRJ Lino (former President Director of state-owned seaport operator Pelindo 2) era, I told him at that time that we must immediately finish the construction of the terminal. We must not delay the construction. The construction must be done in 2-4 shifts, not just 1 shift because Indonesia lacks capacity to handle containers. Alhamdulillah, now we have our first container terminal, President Jokowi said.
On that occasion, President Jokowi also instructed President Director of Pelindo 2 to also immediately finish the other terminals and hopes that they can be completed in 2019.
We must finish the construction of those terminals fast. If Pelindo 2 does not have enough funds, we must invite private sectors, we must invite investors, the President said, adding that the competition is already here, once we are late, Indonesia will be left behind.
President Jokowi was also grateful for the completion of the terminal.
We will finish them all and it must be finished this year because all countries are competing to make innovation and doingbig scale reforms to improve their competitiveness, the President said, adding that Indonesia must not become a spectator in this competition era.
According to the President, Indonesia must catch up with other countries so Indonesia will be able towin the competition and must makethe economymore competitive.
The President added that Indonesia must also be focused on its core business,strengthening primary sectors, and accelerate development of infrastructures, including the New Priok Container Terminal1.
President Jokowi went on to say that the goal of infrastructure development is to reduce logistic costs and transportation costs. He added that in comparison with logistic costs in neighboring countries, logistic costs in Indonesia are 2 2.5 times higher.
Its very expensive. Its probably because of illegal levies or because of the long process, the President said.
Therefore, President Jokowi said that the construction of modern seaport terminals must not be delayed to connect islands, provinces, and regions so that they can support investment and trade to Indonesia.
President Jokowi further said that the Government would also continue its de-regulation and de-bureaucratization programs by slashing a number of regulations in efforts to improve competitiveness.
Also joining the President at the event were Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs LuhutBinsarPanjaitan, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Wiranto, Minister of Transportation Budi KaryaSumadi, Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani, Minister of National Development Planning/Head of National Development Planning BoardBambang Brodjonegoro, Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Susi Pudjiastuti, Chief of the Indonesian National Police Tito Karnavian, and Deputy Governor of JakartaDjarotSyaifulHidayat. (RAH/ES)(EP/YM/Naster)
