GOVERNMENT STRIVES TO IMPROVE DWELLING TIME AT PORTS

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, June 18 (Antara) -- The Indonesian government is taking steps to improve the flow of goods at ports by obligating importers to complete licensing procedures before their goods arrive at ports of destination.          "Many importers handle their customs licensing procedures after their goods arrive at the port. This lengthens the dwelling time. So we urge importers to complete the procedures before their goods are delivered to Indonesia," Trade Minister Rachmat Gobel said on Thursday.          Three ministers met on Thursday to coordinate to reduce the dwelling time at ports, which still stands at 5.5 days, longer than the target of 4.7 days set by the government.          Trade Minister Rachmat Gobel, Transportation Minister Ignasius Jonan, and Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Indroyono Soesilo met to find ways to fulfill President Joko Widodo's wish to reduce the loading and unloading time to less than 4.7 days.          "As a follow-up to President Joko Widodo's visit (to Jakarta's Tanjung Priok Port) yesterday, we prepared two measures and inspected the Customs and Excise Directorate General and (port operator) Pelindo this morning," Soesilo stated.          He explained that the two measures to be taken were strengthening the online service system and improving the licensing system in the trade and transportation sectors.            The chief minister for maritime affairs added that the online system will be improved to monitor the loading and unloading time through www.dwelling.indonesiaport.co.id, which is accessible to the public.          Soesilo also pointed out that the dwelling time at Tanjung Priok Port, which represents all ports in Indonesia, is still 5.5 days, far from the target of 4.7 days set by the government.          The loading and unloading time of ships consists of three steps---pre-customs clearance set at 2.7 days, customs clearance set at 0.5 days and post-customs clearance set at 1.5 days.         "It is pre-customs clearance which takes too long as it is handled (by importers) after the goods arrive," he said.          According to Trade Minister Gobel, on Saturday, June 14, the government mapped out matters that caused the dwelling time at ports to stretch.         Importers are less disciplined because they complete licensing procedures only after their goods arrive at the port, which extends the dwelling time, he explained.         "There are many such cases. So we have to bring it to order and regulate it, similar to how a traveler needs a visa to go abroad. If s/he does not have one, a boarding pass cannot be issued," he stated.          The new regulation will be publicized through the media so importers abide by it, the minister added.          By bringing to order import licensing procedures, there is a good chance that the system can be improved before the implementation of the ASEAN Economic Community.          "We want to bring back the original loading and unloading functions of container terminals and not use them only to store goods," he emphasized.          Moreover, Minister Jonan noted that he will urge port operators to use container sites for transit purposes only. "We must regulate the tariff to ensure that people do not simply dump their containers for lengthy periods of time," he remarked.          In addition, President Joko Widodo has threatened to fire officials if they fail to reduce loading and unloading time at ports.      "We must be frank. When I don't get answers for something I ask, I find them myself. It may be difficult but not impossible to dismiss the director general, or officials in the field, or even the minister," he said while visiting Jakarta's Tanjung Priok Port here on Wednesday.          Jokowi, as the president is also known, added that he wanted port services to be quicker and more efficient. He was disappointed when he heard that dwelling time at the port still stood at three days, 20 days or even 25 days.          "We, government institutions, including ministries and state institutions, only wish what we offer could be close to those in other countries. It is not necessary to equal them," he remarked.          The situation has protracted long enough, and the inefficiency has resulted in losses amounting to some Rp780 trillion, Jokowi noted.          Furthermore Finance Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro affirmed that the Directorate General of Customs and Excise is trying to improve the customs service system so that loading and unloading processes at ports are not hampered.          In response to the dwelling time issue, the finance minister pointed out that one of the problems faced at Tanjung Priok Port is the long time needed to complete administrative processes in pre-customs clearance.          "It is due to pre-customs clearance at the Ministry of Transportation," Brojonegoro said, adding that in the entire process of handling goods imports, pre-customs clearance takes the longest time while customs and post-customs clearance can be completed soon.          He further noted that pre-customs clearance is usually hampered by payment problems at banks, particularly when transactions are carried out on Mondays because importers cannot complete them the day before as banks are closed.     ***1*** (T.A014/INE) EDITED BY INE (T.A014/A/BESSR/A. Abdussalam) 18-06-2015 22:04:3