SEMARANG (ISL News) - Semarang's Tanjung Emas Port is being promoted to become the main gateway for export and import activities in Central Java. Capacity increases are deemed urgent given the rapid investment and growth of logistics activities in the region.
This encouragement was conveyed by a number of business actors and associations in a discussion forum themed Projections of Goods and Industrial Growth for Semarang TPK Development Planning in Supporting Logistics and Trade Development in Central Java held by Pelindo Terminal Petikemas in Semarang City, Thursday (10/9/2026).
Jarot Wibowo, Chairman of the Central Java-Yogyakarta Bonded Zone Entrepreneurs Association, has requested that Tanjung Emas Port be immediately developed into a major port supporting export and import activities in Central Java. Since 2024, his organization has been communicating with Customs and Excise and the Central Java Provincial Government to encourage increased port capacity.
"Our expectations are actually very high. We've been working together since 2024. We've met with the Head of Customs and Excise and the Governor of Central Java to push for Tanjung Emas to become a major port," Jarot told Espos on Thursday (September 10, 2026).
Investment growth and the development of industrial areas in Central Java need to be balanced with adequate logistics infrastructure, particularly to accommodate industrial products destined for export. Jarot is concerned that limited capacity and service at Tanjung Emas Port will encourage businesses to shift their logistics activities to other ports, such as Tanjung Priok in Jakarta or Tanjung Perak in Surabaya.
According to him, imports into Central Java have been relatively high. However, on the export side, several obstacles remain that need to be addressed immediately. Equipment additions and terminal expansions must go hand in hand to ensure Tanjung Emas Port's capacity can keep up with the growing flow of goods.
In addition to terminal capacity, Jarot highlighted the need for temporary storage areas (TPS) as a solution to reduce container congestion in port areas. The presence of TPS is considered to expedite the removal of containers held for several days from the terminal.
For businesses, time efficiency is becoming increasingly important as buyer deadlines become increasingly tight. While previously companies had up to 150 days, the maximum available time is now around 75 days, from the time a purchase order (PO) is issued to the arrival of materials, to the time the goods are ready for export.
Jarot urged Tanjung Emas Port management to utilize the low season to implement mitigation and improvements. These measures are considered crucial to anticipate the surge in cargo flow during peak season.
"Tanjung Emas must not be complacent. This is the low season, and special mitigation measures must be in place. If peak season and bad weather arrive, we must avoid a repeat of the previous container backlog and long ship waits," he explained.
Faster Industrial Growth
The need for development of the Semarang Port Port (TPK) was also conveyed by Efraim Zakka, Manager of PT CMA-CGM Surabaya-Semarang. "Market growth is very rapid, outpacing the growth of port facilities and infrastructure. This certainly requires adequate facilities," Efraim emphasized.
Industry players need certainty regarding the direction of port development. This certainty is crucial so companies can develop business and expansion plans that take into account the readiness of logistics facilities.
Efraim appreciated the Semarang TPK's various efforts to improve technology and equipment. However, future development needs to be directed at increasing container yard capacity and deepening the port's channels and basins.
"The first step is to increase capacity, which means the container yard needs to be larger. To attract larger ships, the basins and channels need to be large enough to accommodate ships with deeper drafts," he said.
Hari Ratmoko, Chairman of the Semarang branch of the Indonesian National Shipowners Association (INSA), believes Tanjung Emas Port needs further development to capture Central Java's economic potential, particularly the flow of containers entering and leaving the region. In terms of cargo volume, Hari believes Tanjung Emas has improved in class and is almost on par with Tanjung Priok and Tanjung Perak Ports. Therefore, the government and operators are urged to act more quickly to increase the port's capacity.
"It's time to stop hesitating. We must act quickly to ensure rapid development and growth, allowing us to capture all the economic potential. If this port is large, all types of cargo can enter, and the potential for job creation will be extraordinary," Hari explained.
He stated that the depth of the shipping channel is one of Tanjung Emas's main challenges. Furthermore, the port basin needs to be dredged and the pier extended to improve ship service capacity.
"The shipping channel must be deepened. The pond within Tanjung Emas Port must also be dredged because its depth has decreased. The pier must also be extended," he explained.
Teguh Arif Handoko, Chairman of the Central Java-Yogyakarta Regional Executive Board of the Indonesian Logistics and Forwarders Association (ALFI/ILFA), echoed the concerns raised by business owners. He stated that the growth of industrial areas in Greater Semarang has made Tanjung Emas Port an economical logistics option and a hub for inter-island export-import and domestic distribution.
"Tanjung Emas Port is a must-have gateway. The Central Java Provincial Government must not allow itself to boost investment while under-providing for adequate logistics infrastructure," Teguh said.
According to him, the imbalance between investment growth and logistics infrastructure readiness could lead to a shift in the flow of goods to other ports. This situation, in turn, has the potential to reduce the economic benefits Central Java could potentially reap.
Therefore, Teguh encouraged the Semarang Port Authority (TPK) to set realistic and gradual development targets. One such target is a service capacity of up to 1.2 million TEUs by 2030.
This target means that the Semarang TPK must be able to handle an average of around 100,000 TEUs per month, or around 3,300 TEUs per day. However, because daily volumes can fluctuate, the service system must also have reserve capacity to handle surges in container traffic.
"We need to have a benchmark, for example, an initial benchmark. We don't need to talk about four million TEUs in five or ten years. We need to talk about how we can serve 1.2 million TEUs by 2030," Teguh said.
Tanjung Emas Ready for Development
Meanwhile, I Nyoman Sutrisna, Head of the Semarang Terminal Terminal (TPK), stated that the forum was held to gather input from various stakeholders regarding the potential and development needs of the Semarang Terminal Terminal (TPK). He noted that one of the most frequently submitted inputs concerned the growth of new industrial areas, including the development of an industrial area in Batang Regency. This development was one of the factors considered in the development plan for the Semarang Terminal Terminal (TPK).
Meanwhile, TPK Semarang has received four additional cranes to increase terminal service capacity. However, this additional equipment still requires long-term planning to anticipate growing container traffic.
"The addition of these four cranes is actually to increase capacity at our current terminal. But we need to discuss the long-term plan," he explained.
Container traffic growth at Semarang Port of Commerce (TPK) is showing a positive trend. Nyoman stated that growth from 2023 to 2025 reached 16%, while in 2026 it was around 9%. Container traffic throughout 2025 reached 1 million TEUs.
According to data from PT Pelindo Terminal Petikemas, container throughput through Semarang Port reached 698,500 TEUs by August 2026. This figure represents a 5.53% increase compared to the 661,872 TEUs recorded in the same period last year.
The growth was primarily driven by international container traffic, which reached 625,390 TEUs, representing an 8.53% year-on-year increase. Import traffic reached 309,128 TEUs, an 8.14% increase compared to 285,862 TEUs in the same period last year. Export traffic reached 316,159 TEUs, an 8.88% increase from 290,380 TEUs.
Nyoman believes this trend further strengthens Tanjung Emas's potential to become a major import-export gateway in Central Java. Furthermore, the addition of four cranes allows the terminal to handle larger vessels.
However, increasing the capabilities of this equipment requires support from the port's channel and basin readiness. Channel depth is a crucial factor in ensuring deeper-draft vessels can enter and be serviced at Tanjung Emas.
"Tanjung Emas is certainly possible to become a major gateway. We currently have cranes capable of handling large vessels up to 16 rows long. The only challenge is the draft, or depth, of the port channel," he concluded.
(ISL News Editorial Team/Corcom Pelindo TPK).
