LOGISTICS DISTRIBUTION FOR FASTING MONTH MUST BE SMOOTH

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, May 20 (Antara) - Public consumption of commodities, particularly basic necessities, during the fasting month of Ramadan is relatively high, and so distribution of logistics to meet the needs of the people must be smooth.          Delays in goods deliveries will have an impact on logistics costs, thus driving up commodity prices. Prices in the face of next week's fasting month have been showing an upward trend.          The Head of National Police's (Polri's) Food Task Force, Inspector General Setyo Wasisto, noted food prices were increasing outside Java, notably in Southeast Sulawesi, Central Sulawesi, Gorontalo and East Nusa Tenggara.          Apart from those outside Java, the stability of prices should be maintained, especially in Jakarta and Java. One of the facilities which play an important role in logistics distribution is the Cikarang Dry Port (CDP) located in a strategic place and the largest manufacturing area in West Java and Indonesia.          The CDP is a public dry port serving as the extension of Tanjung Priok Seaport, offering one stop service for cargo handling and logistics solution for international import and exports, as well as domestic distribution.

GOVT'S EFFORTS TO REDUCE LOGISTICS COSTS

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, May 18 (Antara) - The Indonesian government is trying to reduce inefficiency at seaports, among others, by reducing the length of loading and unloading period, or dwelling time.          Though it has successfully reduced the waiting time significantly from about 10 days in 2015 to three days now, yet logistics costs at ports are still high.          "The dwelling time has decreased; but honestly, we acknowledge that logistics costs are still a problem that we are trying to resolve," Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan said, Thursday (May 4).          Hence, the government is proposing a single tariff system for multiple modes of transportation, while others suggest that port standardization should be set to cut logistics costs. The single tariff system will be good, if it is handled by the technical ministry, notably the Ministry of Transportation.          According to Edy Putera Irawady, deputy for trade and industry coordination of the Office of the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, the technical ministry is the appropriate agency to handle the single tariff system for multimode transportation.

INDONESIA POISED TO SERVE AS ASPAC'S LOGISTICS HUB

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Oct 19 (Antara) - Indonesia, actively working to become a maritime axis nation and expanding its logistics transportation connectivity through a sea toll project, is poised to serve as a logistics center in the Asia Pacific Region.          With that in mind, the government is developing Bonded Logistics Centers (PLBs) in various parts of the country. So far, it has built 28 PLBs and is planning to build more.          Now, at least 124 companies wishing to run PLBs business in the country are consulting the government.          According to Heru Pamungkas, the director general of customs and excise, these 124 companies are currently having consultations on the establishment of Bonded Logistics Center (PLBs).      "A total of 124 companies are consulting the Customs and Excise Office. Every week, we have a consultation forum to give a chance to these companies to convey their interest. We assist and provide explanations to them so that they understand various technical matters, facilities and objectives of the PLB," the director general said on the sidelines of the Jakarta International Logistics Summit and Expo (JILSE) in Jakarta on Wednesday.          Heru noted that of these 124 companies, nine or ten can be asked to run PLB business in the near future.

INVESTORS WELCOME INDONESIA'S BONDED LOGISTICS CENTERS

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, March 12 (Antara) - Investors have lauded the government's efforts to establish Bonded Logistics Centers (PLB) which offer facilities to businesses and are expected to transform the country into the Asia-Pacific logistics hub.          "We hail the government's breakthrough to issue a legal umbrella and establish PLBs in Indonesia," Benny Woenardi, the director of PT Gerbang Teknologi Cikarang said Friday.          PT Gerbang Teknology Cikarang is one of the 11 companies allowed by the Indonesian government to utilize the bonded logistic center whose operation was kicked off by President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) at Cipta Krida Bahari industrial zone in Cakung, North Jakarta Friday.          "We will begin to operate with the facility through a cotton bonded logistics center in cooperation with the Indonesian Textile Business Association (API) to support the national textile and textile product industries," Benny Woenardi, added.           President Jokowi, when inaugurating the bonded logistics zone Thursday, expressed his intent to make Indonesia the logistics "hub" in the Asia-Pacific region.

BETTER INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDED TO REDUCE LOGISTICS COSTS

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Nov 19 (Antara) - Indonesia needs to build adequate infrastructure to facilitate the flow of 150 thousand tons of goods per day and reduce its logistics costs, which still account for 26.4 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).          Transportation Minister Ignasius Jonan stressed that the government must ensure the development of infrastructure in an effort to reduce logistics costs.          "I am confident that if infrastructure is developed and improved, logistics activities will become more efficient and effective," Minister Jonan said during a "Tempo Economic Briefing" in Jakarta on Tuesday.          The minister said that even development and improvement of infrastructure across the country will smooth the dispatch of goods and reduce the logistics cost that the people should spend.          "We all know our ultimate goals in this respect. We want our logistics activities to be more efficient and more effective. The problem of infrastructure and logistics should be solved not only by the private sector, but also by the government and state-owned enterprises (SOEs)," the minister said.