Abu Dhabi Port, a port operator from the United Arab Emirates, has expressed interest in managing the Patimban Container Terminal in Subang, West Java. The Indonesian Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi has with Abu Dhabi Port Chief Executive Officer Saif Al Mazrouei to discuss the Middle Eastern port giant’s plans.
According to Budi, the Transportation Ministry, along with Pelabuhan Patimban Internasional (PPI) – the current operator of Patimban Port – is seeking a strategic partner with the capability and capacity to manage international ports and possess a global network. He mentioned that PPI has received a partnership proposal from Abu Dhabi Port. “Several aspects are still under negotiation. We hope to arrive at a mutually beneficial offer,” he said on Sunday.
Patimban Port is Indonesia’s first supply chain port integrated with surrounding industrial areas. Currently, the phase 1 development, comprising a vehicle terminal with a capacity of 218,000 completely built-up (CBU) units and a container terminal with a capacity of 250,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), is complete.
Meanwhile, phase 2 construction is underway to increase the vehicle terminal capacity to 600,000 CBU units and the container terminal to 3.75 million TEUs.
The Indonesian government has appointed PT Pelabuhan Patimban Indonesia as the operator of Patimban Port. This consortium consists of PT CT Corp Infrastruktur Indonesia (CTII), PT Indika Logistics & Support Services (ILSS), PT U Connectivity Services (UCS), and PT Terminal Petikemas Surabaya (TPS).
Meanwhile, PT Indonesia Kendaraan Terminal Tbk (IPCC) manages the motor vehicle shipment terminal. Abu Dhabi Port has the opportunity to operate the container terminal, which will be a vital facility for domestic and international goods shipment.
In addition to Abu Dhabi Port, several other companies, including those from Japan and South Korea, are interested in managing the container terminal. Japan was initially considered a strong contender for management due to its involvement in constructing the container terminal through companies like Penta-Ocean Construction Co Ltd, Toyo Construction Co Ltd, and Rinkai Nissan Construction Co Ltd.
These companies formed a consortium with PT Pembangunan Perumahan (Persero) Tbk, PT Wijaya Karya (Persero) Tbk, and PT Jaya Konstruksi Manggala Pratama Tbk.
If appointed as the operator of the Patimban Container Terminal, Abu Dhabi Port would add a significant asset to its portfolio – an infrastructure capable of handling over 3 million TEUs, double the capacity of other major ports like Tanjung Priok in North Jakarta and Tanjung Perak in Surabaya.
Abu Dhabi Port also has the potential to create a logistics network from Indonesia and Southeast Asia to the Middle East, a market for various products ranging from crude palm oil to motor vehicles.