Coordinating Minister To Find Out Causes Of Long Dwelling Time At Ports

Jakarta (Antara Bali) - Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan said he would have a look at the Indonesia National Single Window (INSW) at ports to find out causes of failure in cutting short dwelling time at Indonesian ports.

So far the INSW has not run well as expected, he said here on Tuesday, adding,  therefore, he would seek to find out the causes at several ports.

He said his first step is to visit Surabaya to look into the problem faced by the city's  Tanjung Perak port early next month.

Exporters and importers have complained about loading and unloading taking long time in the country's second largest port.

Earlier Tanjung Perak police chief Adj. Sr. Com. Takdir Mattanette  said he had placed 100 police officers including  detectives and intelligence officers ready every day at the command post provided  by the port management.

Takdir said he hoped in one month police could clean the port from illegal levies and  Mafia practices that the process of loading and unloading could be smoother  and faster.

"This measure is in line with the directive given by President Joko Widodo who has passed  order to eliminate causes of long dwelling time at the port," he said.  
    
The minister said he would coordinate with related ministries and the Customs and Excise Directorate General to cut short the dwelling time to less than three days in line withe instruction of the president.

On Tuesday, he summoned three ministers - Transport Minister Budi Karya Sumadi, Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita  and Communications and Informatics  Minister Rudiantara to discuss way to reduce dwelling time at ports.

Customs and Excise Director General  Heru Pambudi  and leaders of the state port operator Pelindo II also attended the meeting.

Coordination is needed to create greater efficiency and integrated systems at port management, he remarked.

"We hope that big ports  especially  could be integrated into a single system . The Communications and Informatics Ministry has been involved," he said.

He said integrated system would minimize individual contacts to prevent or reduce rampant bribery at ports.

"Personal contact would be prevented as much as possible by involving all apparatuses  of the directorate general of Foreign Trade  and the Customs officials in the electronic system," he said.

The purpose is to simplify  the process of loading and unloading at ports  and reduce dwelling time, he said.

"If we could not make it two days , three days would be good," he added.  
INSW is a national system enabling the transmission of data and information through single and synchronized system  and in making single  order for customs license  and passing goods via customs out of the ports.

Through electronic portal, INSW  would process incoming custom information by importers  and license documents issued by relevant agencies. (WDY)