JAKARTA: Indonesia’s main shipping gateway, Tanjung Priok Port in North Jakarta, launched the first ever route connecting Jakarta and Los Angeles in the United States to boost its strategic standing as an international seaport.
The weekly route, which includes stops in Laem Chabang, Thailand, and Cai Cep, Vietnam, before ultimately arriving in the United States for stops in both Los Angeles and Oakland in the San Francisco Bay Area, saw higher volume shipments during its first trial operations on Apr. 9 and Apr. 16, state port operator Pelindo II stated.
Total loading and unloading volume in the past three weeks saw a continuous increase with an average of 2,100 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs).
Pelindo II president director Elvyn G. Masassya said the route takes a maximum 23 days’ voyage, faster than normal route times, which often exceed 30 days. He added it would also save 10 to 20 percent in costs compared to shipping via Singapore.
The freight rate was set at around US$1,700 per 40-foot equivalent unit while the container handling cost and transhipment cost was set at $83 per TEU and $56 per TEU, respectively.
The route, served by French shipping line CMA CGM, will deploy 17 container ships at a maximum window time of 24 hours.
CMA CGM Otello, with a capacity of 8,238 TEU, arrived at Tanjung Priok Port on Sunday, making it the biggest container ship to have docked in Indonesia.
“The arrival of this ship will hopefully encourage other lines and ships to stop at this competitive transhipment port in Asia,” Elvyn said.
