Indonesia to use Rotterdam Port as example

Aditya Suharmoko, THE JAKARTA POST, ROTTERDAM | Mon, 02/09/2009 9:27 AM 

Vice President Jusuf Kalla visited the Rotterdam port in the Netherlands on Sunday, saying Jakarta’s Tanjung Priok Port could learn a lot from the world’s third largest port, and become it’s own international hub within five years. 

“We can learn how to increase the speed [of flow of goods], improve port management and create networks [between ports]. All ports [in the Netherlands] are managed partly by the local government, partly by the central government,” he said. 

He added that Indonesia planned to modernize Tanjung Priok Port within five years to be an international hub like the Singapore port. 

“But we can accelerate it by developing internal buildings, facilities, tollways to become a hub for international trade. Now everyone, including Tanjung Priok Port, turns to Singapore,” Kalla said. 

Rotterdam Mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb said that while Rotterdam port was the third largest in the world and Europe’s biggest, “when it comes to harbor management and the quality of services, we think it’s ranked number one in the world”. 

Aboutaleb added he was delighted at the chance to forge new ties between the two countries.

“I would be delighted to try to build new ties of cooperation with Indonesia. I’ve been invited to visit your country in the near future,” he said. 

He added that by building new cooperation, trade between Indonesia and the Netherlands was expected to increase. 

“The volume of economic relations between the Netherlands and Indonesia is still about 700 million euro (US$905 million). It looks like a huge amount of money, but in world trade it’s still a small portion; we’ll be happy to increase it in the near future,” he said. 

Aboutaleb also said Indonesia could learn a lot from the Netherlands about port management, including transporting containers, ecofriendly storage, harbor management and construction.

Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo said his administration would model Tanjung Priok Port to comply with international environmental standards. 

“[The] Rotterdam [port] is up to standards. Also, its management ensures clearing of containers within 48 hours, while we sometimes take 10 days. Competitiveness is determined by services,” he said. 

In Brussels, meanwhile, Sofjan Wanadi, chairman of the Indonesia-US committee at the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin), said Saturday that US businesspeople had expressed more interest in investing in Indonesia, thanks to President Barack Obama’s administration and Indonesia’s efforts to improve the country’s business climate. 

“Overall, they’ve become more positive [toward Indonesia] than before. I think they see Indonesia differently; Vice President [Jusuf Kalla] addressed their concerns, and Obama’s administration will do more positive things,” he said. 

Kalla has met with 30 business leaders in Washington, D.C., as part of his four-nation visit to Japan, the US, Belgium and the Netherlands. 

Sofjan said companies operating in oil and gas, mining, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals and cacao were represented at the luncheon with Kalla, including Conoco-Phillips, ExxonMobil and Chevron.