JAKARTA, July 16 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia's Patimban Port in West Java province has launched its first international container shipping route following the arrival of a Mediterranean Shipping Company vessel from Singapore, marking the start of international operations at the port's container terminal.
The new service is expected to help establish an international logistics network and enhance Indonesia's competitiveness in global trade, local media reported Thursday.
"As the world's largest archipelagic country, Indonesia needs more than just major ports. We need an integrated port network capable of serving international trade efficiently while strengthening the resilience of the national supply chain amid geopolitical tensions and global disruptions," said Yukki Nugrahawan Hanafi, commissioner of PT Pelabuhan Patimban Internasional.
Hanafi, who is also senior vice president of the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations, said the route was expected to attract more international shipping services and expand links to destinations across Asia, the Middle East, Europe and the Americas.
Patimban Port's container terminal currently covers 10 hectares and has an annual handling capacity of 250,000 twenty-foot equivalent units. ■
