Samudra Indonesia orders two bulk carriers at $97.6 mln

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Publicly-listed sea transportation service company PT Samudra Indonesia Tbk has put an order with South Korea`s STX Shipbuilding for two bulk carriers at US$97.6 million.

The company placed the order for the two 57,700 dwt ships through its subsidiary, Foremost Maritime Pte Ltd, PT Samudra Indonesia`s corporate secretary, Diana P. Iskandar, said in a report to the Indonesia Stock Exchange (BEI) on Monday.

The two ships were scheduled for completion in the first half of 2011, she said adding the addition of the two ships was expected to increase the subsidiary`s capability to face a boom in the demand for bulk carrier services.

Trada Maritime, Asahi Tanker form joint venture shipping company

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

PT Trada Maritime, a subsidiary of Trada International trading and shipping company, signed an agreement to form a joint venture with the Japanese-owned Asahi Tanker on Tuesday in Jakarta.

Trada Maritime president director Darmansyah Tanamas said the joint venture, PT Trada Asahi Maritime (TAM), would provide shipping services and logistics to oil and gas companies.

Under the new venture, Trada Maritime and Asahi Tanker own respectively 51 percent and 49 percent of shares in the company. TAM will be controlled by Trada Maritime, with strategic guidance from Asahi Tanker.

"Our aim is to explore opportunities in the domestic clean oil product market in both Indonesia and other regions," he said as quoted in a press release.

President director of the 57-year-old Asahi Tanker, Makoto Iwata, said he saw a good strategic alliance and business opportunity between both companies.

"Our experience in transporting clean and other petroleum products will complement Trada's network and experience in the Indonesia region," Iwata said, adding that the joint venture with the local company was the first of its kind for Asahi.

Darmansyah said, on Jan. 1, 2010, the government would introduce a presidential decree on the protection of the domestic shipping industry, forbidding non-Indonesian flag vessels to operate in the country.

He said his company saw the upcoming decree as an opportunity to expand its business by striking an alliance with an experienced foreign shipping company.

Currently, he said, four of Indonesia's 13 biggest import and export commodities -- oil, coal, crude palm oil and gas -- were still controlled by international operators.

"These four are still controlled by international operators. TAM was created to answer the call to transport crude oil and its derivative products," he said.

Iwata said the venture would benefit both parties, in knowledge transfer and human and capital resources.

Trada Maritime, formerly known as PAS Maritime, offers services including marine terminals, ship management and logistics to oil and petrochemical industries in Indonesia.

Asahi Tanker is a shipping company with a 15-ship fleet, including small to large tankers and various types of specialized vessels, with affiliations in Korea, Taiwan, Singapore and London.(nkn)

NSW scheme to be rolled out in nine more ports

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The government hopes to expand the National Single Window (NSW) scheme, an on-line permit service for importers and exporters -- first introduced earlier this week at Jakarta's Tanjung Priok Port -- to nine more major ports next year.

"So far, it's been successful at Tanjung Priok Port.

"And we expect that ten big ports, including Tanjung Priok Port, will be served by the scheme by the end of 2008, at the latest," said Edy Putra Irawadi, a deputy to the coordinating minister for economics, on Thursday.

By next April, he said, the government would introduce the system at Belawan Port in North Sumatra, Tanjung Mas in Central Java, Tanjung Perak in East Java, and Makasar Port in South Sulawesi.

The extension of the scheme to another five ports -- Panjang in South Sumatra, Pontianak in West Kalimantan, Batam, Bali and Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan -- was expected to follow later in the year.

Last Monday, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati officially launched the first stage of NSW and its web portal -- http://www.insw.go.id.

During the first stage, five government agencies out of the 36 with responsibilities in the export/import field, have adopted the system, namely, the Customs Office, Food and Drug Control Agency, Directorate General of Foreign Trade, Animal Quarantine Center and the Agricultural Quarantine Center.

Currently, however, only 100 importers -- the beneficiaries of the so-called fast-track priority facility operated by the port authority -- are able to benefit from the scheme.

The priority facility, which grants importers preferential treatment for goods inspection at the port, is restricted to firms that have a proven track record and have never violated the regulations.

As for exporters, they will not be eligible to receive such treatment during the first phase of the NSW scheme, which is expected to end before April, when the second phase is scheduled to commence.

"We hope that by April next year, when we launch a common portal, the work of all the 36 agencies will be integrated in the NSW system, as well as other importers and exporters, so that we can simplify permit processing and curtail corruption," Edy said,

"There used to be a lot of redundancies involved as regards the necessary documents, unnecessary payments and convoluted bureaucracy."

He said that under the new service, an importer would only need 7.5 hours to get the necessary clearances to recover their shipments from the port authority, must faster than previously, when several days might be required.

The new service would also significantly reduce costs.

Edy said the NSW scheme had also simplified the job of the relevant government agencies, adding that the 23 biggest ports in Indonesia had to process 4.5 million export and import documents every year.

Indonesia`s Bukit Asam confirms will buy shipping company

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - State-run PT Tambang Batubara Bukit Asam, Indonesia's sixth-largest coal miner, said Tuesday that it is planning to acquire the government-owned shipping company PT Bahtera Adiguna, confirming a media report.

"We have asked Pricewaterhouse Coopers to conduct the due diligence. Later we will also need to appraise the company," Bukit Asam director Milawarma told Thomson Financial.

Milawarma was responding to a report by Investor Daily which said the acquisition may cost Bukit Asam around 100 billion rupiah. He said it was "too early" to comment on the purchase price.

"We hope that in January we will have a clear idea whether or not we will go ahead with the acquisition," he said.

Milawarma said by running its own shipping company, Bukit Asam will be able to secure a better price for its coal sold to domestic buyers since it will not have to subcontract the shipping to third parties.

Bukit Asam is primarily a domestic coal player. Its main buyer is state-owned power company PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara.

Milawarma said Bukit Asam was expecting to sell 10.8 million tons of coal this year of which about 9 million tons will come from its own mine. The rest will be purchased from third parties.

Indonesian logistics co AKR ups stake in China`s Guangxi Guigang

Jakarta (ANTARA News/Asia Pulse) - PT AKR Corporindo (JSX:AKRA) has increased its stake to 93.98 per cent from 80 per cent in Guangxi Guiganf AKR Container Port Ltd, the operator of the Honglian port of China.

V Suresh, Secretary of the Indonesian logistic company, said the Honglian port, which has increased its handling capacity from 15,000 TEUs to 50,000 TEUs in June, is strategic for the operation of AKR Corporindo.

"The capacity of the container port will be expanded further to 200,000 TEUs in 2009," Mr Suresh said.

KADIN calls for speedy improvement of sea-port facilities

Nanning, China (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KADIN) has urged the government to soon improve facilities at Indonesian seaports as they were no longer adequate, thus often causing delays in the delivery of Indonesian exports.

"We want our sea transportation system to be improved, including its infrastructure as many export commodities such as coal, crude palm oil, oil and gas often get stuck due to conditions at our sea ports," KADIN Chairman MS Hidayat said here on Monday.

He made the statement amid the ongoing fourth China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO) being held here October 28-31.

He said the government should also improve sea port facilities to prevent stagnation in the country`s exports.

Because of late delivery, Indonesian crude palm oil exports were often subjected to price deductions, he said

"Our crude palm oil businessmen often complain as their selling price are often deducted for arriving late," he said.

He said foreign importers preferred to buy the commodity from Malaysia as the latter always sent their commodity on time.

He added the transportation minister was trying to help solve the problem by calling on Chinese businessmen to invest in sea ports in Indonesia so their facilities could be improved.

The fourth expo which opened on Sunday aimed to enhance regional cooperation in port development.

It is meant to serve as a forum for cooperation between China and ASEAN in both trade and investment as well to speed up the conclusion of a China-ASEAB Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA).

Berlian acquires Chembulk Tankers

JAKARTA (The Jakarta Post) : Publicly listed shipping company PT Berlian Laju Tanker (BLT) has acquired Marshall Islands-based chemical tanker company Chembulk Tankers LLC, through its subsidiary Asean Maritime Corporation.

Director of BLT, Kevin Wong, said Wednesday in a statement to the Jakarta Stock Exchange that the cost of the acquisition was US$850 million.

He said the purchase made BLT the third largest chemical tanker operator in the world with 54 ships with a total capacity of 820,600 deadweight tons (DWT).

Chembulk now operates 16 double-hull ships capable of carrying a total of 397,200 DWT. It plans to add three more ships by 2009, which will increase its total capacity to 468,200 DWT.

TNT moves to meet growing demand

JAKARTA (The Jakarta Post) : TNT Express Indonesia has opened a new warehouse in South Jakarta and deployed 40 additional Mobile Worker units as part of its expansion plan.

The new warehouse increases TNT's total number of warehouses across Indonesia to 11.

"The new office is certainly strengthening TNT's network especially in Greater Jakarta. We are optimistic to win more accounts and leverage our leadership in the market," Peter Langley, TNT president director, said in a statement.

TNT has also deployed 40 additional Mobile Worker units, wireless hand-held devices equipped with a scanner, complementing the existing 95 units.

These units enable ground service agents to receive real-time consignment pickups and delivery information.

TNT Express Indonesia, which opened in 1979, now has more than 17 branch offices, 14 agents and 600 staff members, and six main gateways: Jakarta, Surabaya, Denpasar, Balikpapan, Medan and Batam. (JP/Astrid Wibisono)

Nestle Indonesia renews warehousing and distribution contract with GAC Samudera Logistics

AMEinfo

GAC Samudera Logistics (GSL), a joint venture between UAE-based GAC and Samudera Indonesia Group, has announced its contract renewal with Nestlé Indonesia to manage the international food and beverage company's warehousing and distribution needs in the country.

Nestle has a long-standing relationship with GAC, going back to over a decade ago in the Middle East when GAC built the first third party logistics facility in the Gulf, now a fully-fledged GAC Logistics Park - from which GAC is still handling Nestle's regional supply chain requirements today.

Under the continuing arrangement, GSL will manage Nestlé's West Java, South Sumatra and West Kalimantan storage and inventory management requirements. As Nestlé has witnessed substantial volume growth and increasing distribution complexities since the existing agreement started in June 2005, GSL is now preparing for a more extensive scope of work for the global brand.

GSL Managing Director Kaare Thuesen says this new long-term exclusive contract is a boost to GSL's expanding logistics operations. The company recently invested USD4.4 million to expand its state-of-the art multi-user distribution centre in Lippo Cikarang in the Bekasi district, east of Jakarta. The extended facility will occupy a total of 9,000 square metres and offer an additional 12,000 pallet positions, increasing the current pallet capacity to 34,000.

He adds: 'We are confident that our expanded facilities at the distribution centre in Lippo Cikarang, coupled with our proven warehouse management techniques and advanced IT capabilities, will enable us to enhance Nestlé's supply chain and allow us to play an even bigger role in supporting their planned business growth.'

Nestlé Indonesia's Supply Chain Director, Wisman Djaja says: 'The Distribution Centre is strategic to our business. It is one of the key enablers for Nestlé Indonesia in its endeavour to provide the best service to its valuable customers. Most of our fast-growing modern channel customers are served from this DC. I am happy to see that GSL has been investing in training and development to grow talent, an important complementary to its excellent infrastructure. After all, talented employees set a company apart from its peers.'

Gading Sari Signs Deal With Pos Indonesia

By Mohd Nasir Yusoff, Bernama.com

JAKARTA, Jan 18 (Bernama) -- PT Gading Sari Indonesia, a subsidiary company of Gading Sari Aviation Services Malaysia Sdn Bhd, a logistics company, Thursday signed a partnership agreement with PT Pos Indonesia to modernise the latter's facilities and consequently start a new era in the postal services of Indonesia.

The event which also marked the official establishment of PT Gading Sari, was graced by Tengku Mahkota Pahang Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah at a leading hotel here.

Also present was Indonesia's Minister for State Owned Enterprises Indonesia Soegiharto and Malaysia's Finance Ministry Secretary General Datuk Dr Hilmi Yahya.

Besides looking at a potential market of 230 million people in Indonesia, the partnership is also expected to open the doors for the two parties, PT Gading Sari and PT Pos Indonesia, to jointly explore expanding into the wider Asean market.

After Indonesia, Gading Sari Aviation Services Malaysia is also looking into exploring opportunities in Vietnam and China.

Under the deal, PT Gading Sari will initially help PT Pos Indonesia set up its land, sea and air transportation faclities as well as modernise its storage, logistics and communication facilities.

Chief Executive Officer of PT Gading Sari, Taufick D. Mochtar, said that his company considered it an honour to help PT Pos Indonesia and aimed to push up PT Pos Indonesia as an international level company in the logistics industry.

Meanwhile, the chief director of PT Pos Indonesia Hana Suryana said that the partnership was its initial step towards establishing a vision and an Initial Public Offer in 2010.

For this, PT Pos Indonesia would require strategic alliances such as what it has with PT Gading Sari, he said.

At the event today, PT Gading Sari also launched its operations as the agent of Columbia Aircraft which provides executive jet charter services.