Indonesia, Netherlands Cooperate To Develop Tanjung Priok Seaport

Delft, The Netherlands, Dec 6 (ANTARA) - The Indonesian government and the largest dredging company in the Netherlands, Van Oord Dredging and Marine Contractors are to enhance cooperation in the development of Tanjung Priok seaport, Jakarta, worth 150 million euros. "Van Oord is to strengthen cooperation with PT. PP (Persero) Tbk on the dredging and reclamation of Tanjung Priok new areas," the Indonesian Ambassador to the Netherlands, Retno L.P Marsudi said in a press release received by ANTARA here Thursday. The cooperation between the construction industry companies PT. PP Tbk and Van Oord is part of the first phase of the North Kalibata container port contract which will expand Tanjung Priok port up to 4 to 5 million TEUs (twenty feet equivalent units). According to Ambassador Retno, the project will last for three years with the dredging phase will begin in the second quarter of 2013. In late December 2011, the flow of containers through Tanjung Priok port reached 5.6 million TEUs. The figure exceeded the maximum capacity of 5 million TEUs. The flow of containers at the port is expected to continue increasing until 2030 which is estimated to reach 21,239,900 TEUs. Meanwhile, the Director for Business Development of PELINDO I (the Indonesian Seaport Company), Bambang Eka Cahyana said sea port development investment opportunities in Indonesia are quite large because the country is situated on the busiest sea container lines in the world, reaching more than 70 percent of the total flow of containers. Therefore, he continued, Pelindo I is planning to build Kuala Tanjung seaport which is expected to support Belawan seaport (in Medan, North Sumatra ), which has been operating beyond its capacity. "Furthermore, the new port is expected to replace the role of Singapore port which has been a point of cargo distribution from Sumatra," Bambang Eka said, adding that the new seaport will also support the construction of the new airport Kuala Namo. The government of Indonesia through PELINDO I is implementing the partnership strategy with private sectors that have competence besides market and funding capabilities to accelerate the implementation of Kuala Tanjung international sea port development, Bambang Eka said.