MAKASSAR (ISL News, February 16, 2026) – PT Pelindo Jasa Maritim (SPJM) Group, a subholding of PT Pelabuhan Indonesia (Persero) which operates in the fields of Marine, Equipment, Port Services, Dredging and Shipyard (MEPS) enthusiastically welcomed the implementation of 24-hour classification activities in the waters of the Mahakam River by making optimal efforts in terms of operational readiness, pilotage facilities and infrastructure, and supporting technology.
As is known, all government agencies, technical institutions, and shipping businesses have taken collaborative steps to formulate strategies related to safety and vessel congestion in the Mahakam River, taking into account the security of vital infrastructure and the smooth flow of water traffic. Ultimately, one strategy was to implement 24-hour classification activities.
SPJM Operations and Engineering Director, Edward Napitupulu said, "As part of the Pelindo Group that handles pilotage and towing activities in the Mahakam River waters, we welcome the government's initiative through the Samarinda Class I KSOP which implements 24-hour classification activities as an alternative solution to ensure smooth activities and also anticipate unwanted things."
In line with Edward, Senior Manager of Region 4, Al Abrar explained, "We will immediately make the necessary operational preparations to optimize 24-hour service, including classification in Martadipura, Tenggarong, Mahulu, Mahakam, and Mahkota. In the old pattern, the classification of ships down started at 06.00 WITA - 10.00 WITA. With the new pattern, the classification schedule will be 2 x classifying up and 2 x classifying down. For this reason, from the HR side, in addition to refreshing existing personnel, we will also add 10 more pilots, so that the total number of pilots will be 42 people with adequate skills and experience as well as certifications that refer to applicable regulations. In addition, an evaluation will also be carried out to measure the performance of the existing tugboats. Furthermore, for escort tug services in Mahulu, we will also prepare 1 unit of escort tugboat to add to the existing infrastructure, namely 3 units of assist tugboats."
In terms of technological support, SPJM has prepared an integrated planning and control room ( PnC ) including increasing the capacity of the Automatic Identification System (AIS) for real-time service monitoring , service standardization, integration of occupational safety improvement (HSSE) data, and better service transparency.
Edward further added, "These efforts must of course be carried out sustainably. Furthermore, considering that pilotage and towing activities prioritize the active participation of all parties in upholding navigational safety, support from all relevant parties is needed to ensure smooth vessel operations in the Mahakam River, ensuring faster, safer, more efficient, and more reliable service for users," Edward concluded.
(ISL News Editorial Team/Corcom SPJM).
