WASHINGTON: State-owned port operator Pelabuhan Indonesia (Pelindo) III has announced that it is developing a full information and communications technology (ICT) system with a total investment of Rp 1 trillion (US$77 million). With the new system, it says, the ICT systems in 14 ports in seven provinces will be connected in real time.
Pelindo III president director Djarwo Surjanto said the system would be divided into two main sections, namely front end and back end systems. The front end system will include container, non-container and vessel service applications, among others. Meanwhile, the back end system will comprise applications related to administrative matters, such as human capital and financial management. The front end applications are targeted to be completed in September 2016.
“With container applications in the front end system, all service users will be able to monitor the position of their containers in real time. It can be estimated when their containers will arrive at the destination ports. It can all be traced online,” said Djarwo in Surabaya, East Java, last week.
The ports that will be connected with the system are Tanjung Perak (East Java), Tanjung Emas (Central Java), Lembar and Benoa (Bali), Kumai, Bumiharjo and Sampit (Central Kalimantan), Bima and Badas (West Nusa Tenggara), Maumere, Ende, Waingapu and Kalabahi (East Nusa Tenggara) and Batulicin (South Kalimantan).
Pelindo III’s move will be followed by Pelindo I, II and IV, so that 24 ports from Sumatra to Papua will be connected under a single system and form the backbone of the government’s sea toll program. Djarwo said the development of the ICT based system was predicted to be completed within the next two years. He expressed hopes that the ICT systems in all 14 ports would be connected each other by January 2018.
With the connected system, Djarwo said, it would be easier for Pelindo III to evaluate the performance of the 14 ports under its authority, and hopefully reduce both waiting time and dwelling time.
For the first stage, Pelindo III has prepared around Rp 250 billion of the total Rp 1 trillion of investment it will use to pay consultants, buy hardware and prepare a data center. The figure does not yet include funds for building developments. To build the ICT system, Pelindo III has conducted a comparison study with several modern ports abroad, such as the Hamburg port and Bremen port in Germany and the Rotterdam port in the Netherlands.
Megawaty Khie, the vice president and managing director of SAP Indonesia, a partner company in the development of all applications of the ICT system, said Pelindo III had taken a brave move. “Pelindo III has created an IT revolution in Indonesia’s port industry, which is really competitive. The built applications, which will allow real time connection, will help the company expand its businesses and win the competition,” she said.
