SURABAYA (ISL News) - Carmelita Hartoto, Chairperson of the Indonesian National Shipowners' Association (INSA) Central Executive Board, said that improvements in Pelindo's services during the five years of the merger have been felt by shipping companies in various regions.
"So far, Pelindo has made many continuous service improvements during the five years of the merger, and we have felt the improvements in all Pelindo areas," said Carmelita when contacted on Wednesday (September 30, 2026).
According to him, improvements still need to be continued to create increasingly integrated services throughout Indonesia.
"Until now, Pelindo continues to improve and develop its services to be more integrated throughout Indonesia," he said.
Carmelita said improving the quality of terminal services is crucial for shipping companies because it directly impacts vessel productivity. Terminal services encompass not only loading and unloading but also operational efficiency and ship stay time in port.
"We hope that repairs and/or replacement of loading and unloading equipment can be carried out immediately to improve port stay," he said.
He assessed that equipment readiness is an important factor in increasing terminal productivity and supporting the certainty of shipping schedules.
"What we hope for is better, more integrated services, and a more certainty for businesses," said Carmelita.
INSA is also pushing for continued service standardization across terminals. According to Carmelita, shipping companies need increasingly uniform service patterns to better plan ship operations.
"For shipping companies, service certainty is crucial. We need services that can support productivity and ensure the safety of ship operations," he said.
On the other hand, cost pressures resulting from the weakening rupiah have made efficiency even more crucial for the shipping industry. Ship maintenance and operational costs, including spare parts that still need to be imported, have also been impacted.
"The weakening of the rupiah will impact a number of costs that still use dollars or are heavily influenced by the exchange rate," said Carmelita.
"So, it's not just daily operational costs that are impacted, but also the company's investment planning," he said.
According to Carmelita, efficiency is not enough for entrepreneurs alone. The government also needs to maintain the industry's cost structure to remain competitive.
"Efficiency from the business side alone isn't enough. The government also needs to help maintain a competitive industrial cost structure," he said.
(ISL News Editorial Team/Corcom Pelindo TPK).
