But this was not merely the result of post-holiday traffic or collective leave. It was a symptom of a deep-seated structural crisis in our logistics system, one that remains unresolved.

Sadly, each year we continue to respond with seasonal, short-term solutions, yet from the perspective of traffic volume and distribution patterns, there is nothing new. The Idul Fitri, Christmas and year-end periods always bring spikes in the movement of goods, both in terms of exports and imports as well as domestic distribution. Unfortunately, our system remains incapable of responding effectively, let alone preventing such fluctuations.

The congestion at Tanjung Priok Port cannot be separated from the broader failure in managing our maritime logistics system. Often, proposed solutions are myopic and temporary, despite the fact that the root causes are far more complex.

The case at NPCT 1 container terminal, which handled up to 7,000 containers per day after Idul Fitri, nearly tripled its normal capacity of 2,500, clearly illustrates the fragility of our planning and distribution system. The yard occupancy ratio (YOR) surged above 70 percent, a level that should serve as a critical operational warning. Meanwhile, the dwelling time, which is measured from the arrival of goods at the port to the completion of administrative processes and exit, reached five days.

This situation directly contradicts the core principles of the 1965 Facilitation (FAL) Convention by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), which mandates that ports minimize delays and obstructions to the flow of goods and people.

This is not merely a logistical bottleneck, it has real and damaging effects on national economic efficiency. Delivery delays, rising logistics costs and inflated consumer prices are all triggered by this chronic issue.