JICT services expand to Africa

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

PT Jakarta International Container Terminal (JICT), the country's largest container terminal operator, now boasts direct shipment services to Africa following robust growth in international trade between that continent and Indonesia.

In a press statement issued Friday, Maersk Line, the world's largest shipping line, said it had launched a new weekly East African Service from Tanjung Priok, Jakarta.

The service includes a port rotation to Johor Baru in Malaysia, the Seychelles, Dar es Salaam in Tanzania and Mombasa in Kenya. Maersk has deployed five vessels -- the M.V. Safmarine Cotonou, M.V. Fransisca Schulte, M.V. Lissy Schulte, M.V. Northern Felicity and the M.V. San Lorenzo -- for the service.

Another shipping line, CMA-CGM, will also provide services to Africa, deploying 10 vessels for its Asia-Africa Service, which operates on an eight-day port rotation involving Tanjung Priok; Shanghai and Ningbo in China; Hong Kong; Singapore; Port Klang in Malaysia; Durban in South Africa; Luanda in Angola; Pointe Noire in Congo; Lome in Togo; Abidjan in the Ivory Coast; Tema in Ghana; Tintan in Nigeria; Douala in Cameron; Port Gentil in Gabon; and Pointe Noire in Congo.

With the new services, JICT hopes to reduce transit costs to Africa, which would automatically cut overall shipping costs.

JICT, which is jointly operated by Hong Kong-based Hutchison Port Holding and state port operator PT Pelindo II, was the first container terminal in Indonesia to launch direct services to Europe. Currently, JICT has 40 vessel calls per week serving Europe, the Middle East and Africa. -- JP