PT Pelabuhan Indonesia (Pelindo) Labuan Bajo together with shipping companies engage the market to optimize the use of containers to and from Labuan Bajo, West Manggarai, NTT.

"We are attracting the market by offering service users to try shipping using containers because they are superior in terms of goods safety and ease of handling," said General Manager of Pelindo Labuan Bajo Dimaz Yuliono, Monday (28/2).

Pelindo Labuan Bajo optimizes container activities by exploring the potential hinterland in West Manggarai to be sent out of the area via containers. Furthermore, cargo sent to Labuan Bajo is attempted to be sent via containers at competitive rates.

He said the Multipurpose Port managed by PT Pelindo (Persero) always improves port services so that cargo owners can use containers as an efficient and effective cargo delivery tool so that the number of container flows also increases. If container users in Labuan Bajo are relatively stable with an average monthly flow of 450 container boxes. 

However, Dimaz feels that more efforts are needed to attract container users. In 2021, the operational flow of containers at the Multipurpose Labuan Bajo terminal from April to December is 4,768 boxes and 4,770 TEUs. Meanwhile, during January 2022, the flow of containers was 486 boxes with 486 TEUs.

Currently, there are three container companies that support container operations at the Labuan Bajo Multipurpose Port, one of them is Mentari Mas Multimoda.

Operational activities there are also assisted by lifting equipment in the form of 1 unit Reach Stacker and 1 unit Forklift; 2 units of the trailer along with the chassis as a means of transportation.