Media

TARAKAN — The North Kalimantan chapter of the Indonesian Employers Association (APINDO Kaltara) has expressed support for efforts by various stakeholders to enable direct exports of the province’s leading commodities to international markets.

The support was conveyed following a recent discussion forum on the acceleration of direct exports for North Kalimantan’s flagship commodities, held at Graha Angkasa, Juwata Airport Old Terminal.

The event, organized by the Indonesian Quarantine Agency in collaboration with Commission IV of the House of Representatives and several other stakeholders, aimed to explore pathways for North Kalimantan commodities to be exported directly overseas.

APINDO Kaltara Chair Peter Setiawan said the initiative would significantly benefit businesses by reducing logistics costs.

Currently, export shipments from North Kalimantan must first transit through Surabaya or Jakarta, creating substantial additional container transportation expenses.

“Shipping from Surabaya to China costs around Rp50 million, so it raises the question of why transportation from Tarakan to Surabaya can cost hundreds of millions,” Peter said.

He added that direct export routes would not only lower operational costs for businesses but also contribute positively to local revenue generation.

“The costs would be lower, and the regional revenue would directly benefit Tarakan,” he stated.

According to Peter, APINDO Kaltara has long hoped for the realization of direct export access from Tarakan to international markets.

However, he noted that one of the main obstacles is the minimum shipment requirement for sea freight, which typically requires at least 200 containers per voyage — a volume that has not yet been consistently met.

Despite the challenge, APINDO remains optimistic that stronger coordination among stakeholders can help pave the way for more efficient and competitive export logistics from North Kalimantan.

Source: RRI.co.id