This was achieved after clearing the Ministry of Transportation's safety and security requirements.
The new port started operating with one terminal capable of handling a feeder ship and up to two neo-panamax vessels. Port authorities hope the expanded capacity will help Jakarta take some of the current mainline volumes that now mainly go through Singapore and channel it directly through Indonesian ports.
The new terminal has will add another 1.5m teu per year of capacity, which will be a welcome relief to overloaded Tanjung Priok Port and boost its capacity from the current 6.6m teu per year.
Hambar Wiyadi, corporate secretary of Pengembang Pelabuhan Indonesia (PPI), the port development arm of state-owned port operator Pelindo II, said the Transport Ministry had issued security and safety recommendations on 20 July, after a series of trial dockings of several cargo ships.
"The recommendation means we can start to provide full services on a commercial basis," Hambar said.
PPI conducted one final test earlier this month by taking in Evergreen Group's 1,618-teu Uni Perfect. The vessel docked again last week, marking the start of commercial operations at New Priok Container Terminal I by offloading 408 teu and loading 712 teu during its time in the terminal, Hambar said.
The $320m terminal is the first of three being developed at the port over the next few years. Pelindo II expects Tanjung Priok to be able to handle up to 18m teu per year by the time all the three terminals are completed in 2023.
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