April 28, 2025
JAKARTA – Much of North Jakarta was paralyzed for two days due to traffic snarl-ups on the roads leading to Tanjung Priok Port last week. The port authority should be held responsible for the gridlock, which was a result of its poor operations and planning.
It was not the first such incident on that scale, as it occurred last year and in previous years. The media reported that the congestion last year stemmed from an error in the automatic port gate system.
It seems to be the norm that containers carrying billions of dollars of goods are held up for hours, even days, due to inefficient gate operations, poor coordination among stakeholders and sluggish customs clearance procedures. The losses incurred from this inefficiency must be beyond imagination.
The local authorities cannot bear the responsibility for such recurring debacles alone. The central government, which oversees state-owned port operator PT Pelindo, must also share the blame.
Pelindo has the mandate to ensure smooth, efficient port operations across the archipelago, including Tanjung Priok, the biggest port in the country.
But instead of implementing meaningful, systemic changes, efforts have too often been patchwork solutions, temporary fixes, ceremonial groundbreakings and overly optimistic digitization promises that do not work on the ground.
Pelindo has floated a plan to build more roads leading to Tanjung Priok as repeated congestion indicates the physical infrastructure around the port is simply insufficient to support the volume of the traffic.
However, the port operator should understand this would only provide a temporary fix as the volume of containers will eventually catch up to the additional road capacity, as our economy grows. As a consequence, congestion will recur.
If the government truly cares about addressing this gridlock, then it should start thinking about moving goods from production hubs in West Java and Banten to Jakarta by rail, which remains woefully underutilized.
Roads may be cheaper and faster to build, but railway lines promise efficiency and perhaps more competitive logistic costs.
Moreover, interconnected railway lines could also help share the weight of Tanjung Priok with other ports like Patimban in West Java. There would be no more reason for businesses not to utilize the port, including complaints it is too far and too costly to transport.
While the country may have the budget to build the rail infrastructure, it is safe to say that none will ever materialize given that such a project would require cross-sectoral coordination, something that eludes most Indonesian officials. Moreover, it has never been a government priority anyway.
Beyond congestion, Tanjung Priok Port witnesses rampant extortion, which remains unresolved despite multiple government commitments to eradicate the practice. The perpetrators range from local gangs to law enforcement.
In February of this year, angry drivers threatened to go on strike if the authorities did not eradicate the practice, which cost them their income. They complained the extortion took place on a daily basis.
Tanjung Priok Port contributes over 36 percent of both the loading and unloading capacity of the five main container terminals in Indonesia. The government should be aware that any disruptions and inefficiency cost the economy dearly.
The losses could increase exorbitantly if we also count the impact of the congestion on Jakarta citizens and other people who rely on the access roads to reach their workplaces or get home. Not to mention the extra carbon emissions that exacerbate the city’s air pollution.
The two-day congestion on the roads leading to Tanjung Priok is not just Jakarta problem. It is a national issue and an international embarrassment given the country’s ambition to become a major maritime force and a key player in global trade.
There can be no economic transformation if we cannot unclog our ports and provide our industries with excellent logistics support. The gridlock must never happen again. Not only for a day, but for good.