PATIMBAN, WEST JAVA (ISL News) – Patimban Port has further expanded its container service connectivity with the arrival of the MV COSCO COLOMBO, which is repositioning (repo) empty containers from Patimban Port to Shanghai, China. This visit marks a new development in COSCO's services at Patimban, moving from existing domestic services to direct connectivity with the international shipping network.
Previously, COSCO routinely served domestic container movements via Jakarta–Marunda–Patimban. Under this service, empty containers from Jakarta and Marunda were transported to Patimban for unloading and temporary storage at the Patimban Port Container Terminal. The empty containers were then loaded from Patimban by the MV COSCO COLOMBO for repositioning directly to Shanghai.
The Hong Kong-flagged MV COSCO COLOMBO voyage 145.N has a Length Overall (LOA) of 261.10 meters and a Gross Tonnage (GT) of 40,447. The vessel arrived at Patimban Port from Jakarta on September 5, 2026 and, after completing activities at the Patimban Port Container Terminal, departed on September 6, 2026 to continue its voyage to Shanghai, China. Based on the operational plan, the vessel carried out loading activities of approximately 1,290 TEUs of empty containers.
This service adds an alternative mechanism for empty container repo from Patimban Port. Previously, empty container repo to international networks was also handled through the Enhanced Seahorse Service operated by the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC).
Patimban's use as a temporary storage location and departure point for empty containers heading to the international network also demonstrates the growing function of the Patimban Port Container Terminal. In addition to handling the loading and unloading of export and import containers, Patimban can also serve as a transshipment and repositioning node for containers within the shipping network.
This role provides an alternative for managing container movements that have been concentrated in the Jakarta area and its surroundings, in line with the development of Patimban Port to support improved logistics services.
Head of the Patimban Class II KSOP Office, Mohd Arief Agustian, said that this development shows the increasing diversity of functions that can be served through the Patimban Port Container Terminal.
"What's growing is not only the number of incoming ships, but also the functions that can be performed through Patimban Port. In addition to serving the loading and unloading of export and import containers, Patimban is also starting to function as a transshipment and container repositioning node within the shipping network. Empty containers arriving from Jakarta and Marunda can be stored at Patimban and then repositioned to the international network. This development further expands Patimban Port's function in supporting logistics and shipping services," said Arief.
The entry of COSCO services into the international network via Patimban complements the development of container services that has taken place in recent months.
With the increasing choice of services and shipping networks, Patimban Port is increasingly developing as a logistics hub connecting the West Java industrial area with the international shipping network, while also providing an increasingly diverse choice of logistics services for the business world.
(ISL News Editorial Team/Humas Hubla).
