RAIL PROJECTS TO PORTS MUST BE CONTINUE

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Nov 14, 2018
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JAKARTA - The logistics and supply chain research and supply chain Supply Chain Indonesia (SCI) has asked the Ministry of Transportation to continue the port access train project despite being removed in the 2015-2019 strategic plan.

In line with the construction of port access trains, SCI also expects the government to reactivate existing container yards.

SCI Chairman Setijadi said the port rail access project is vital to increase the speed of freight transport between ports and industrial centers. He pointed out, from Port Lamong Bay, the goods can be sent by train to the container terminal in Jember, Semarang, or some particular train station.

According to Setijadi, the rail transport capacity is higher compared to trucking because 30 flat carriages can contain 30 containers of 40 feet or the equivalent of 60 containers measuring 20 feet. Capacity that can produce efficiency when facilities loading and unloading and terminal management is also reliable.

"Facilities must also be repaired because in some places the facilities are not adequate, otherwise it remains uncompetitive with the truck," he explained to Bisnis.com, Wednesday (6/6/2018).

As pointed out, the congestion at several points of access to Tanjung Priok Port which is still ongoing until now becomes an important lesson to reduce dependence on trucking. Therefore, the construction and operation of the railway to the port should take precedence.

Previously, Kemenhub removed two access train projects to the port from a list of projects whose source of funds came from non-APBN. Both projects are the Tanjung Karang-Pelabuhan Panjang Railway project and the Lamong Bay Port Access Train.

The cuts in the number of projects are listed in Minister of Transportation Decree no. KP 881 Year 2018 on Review of Strategic Plan of the Ministry of Communications 2015-2019 issued on May 17, 2018. The Ministerial Decree replaces Kepmen. KP 873 Year 2017.

Setijadi said that rail projects remain attractive to investors as long as the government, including local governments, provides support in the licensing and land acquisition stage. In addition, project planning also needs to be in line with other infrastructure development plans because interrelated infrastructure operations are inter-related.

The railway project can still run if the project implementer gets loan with scheme and low interest rate. "This is because the development period and the payback period of the old infrastructure," said Setijadi.