East Java terminal welcomes Meratus Line’s inaugural call

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East Java terminal welcomes Meratus Line’s inaugural call
Meratus Pekanbaru, one of the two vessels operating the SBON service. Photo and caption from ICTSI.
  • East Java Multipurpose Terminal welcomed the inaugural call of Meratus Line’s SBON service on December 3, enhancing regional connectivity in Lamongan Regency, Indonesia
  • The weekly domestic service links Indonesian ports, including Surabaya, Makassar, Ambon, and Lamongan, offering local businesses improved access to key markets
  • The collaboration aims to streamline logistics, reduce transport costs, and lower carbon emissions, supporting Lamongan’s potential as a new industrial center in East Java
  • The terminal is actively investing in expanding its facilities, with a new multipurpose facility project scheduled for completion in September 2024, further contributing to the region’s economic development

The East Java Multipurpose Terminal (EJMT) hosted the inaugural call of Meratus Line’s SBON service on December 3.

The weekly domestic service, operated by two 629-TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit) multipurpose vessels, links various Indonesian ports, including Surabaya, Makassar, Ambon, and now, Lamongan.

The inclusion of Lamongan in the port rotation is poised to provide local businesses in the Lamongan and Tuban areas with enhanced access to the Makassar and Ambon markets.

Patrick Chan, EJMT CEO, congratulated Meratus Line on the expansion of their SBON service to include Lamongan. In a statement, he emphasized the positive impact this development will have on local customers, saying, “With the new service calling at our terminal, it will provide our surrounding customers with closer port access and an empty depot located in the same facility that allows trucks to complete two-way running with containers. Hence, we expect a reduction in their transport costs and overall carbon emissions.”

The collaboration between EJMT., EJMT a key operation of International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI), and Meratus Line aligns with the latter’s broader goal of enhancing connectivity in Indonesia and facilitating business expansion for industry owners.

Budi Pranoto, chief commercial officer of Meratus Logistics, underlined the company’s commitment, saying, “Seeing the potential for Lamongan to become a new industrial center in East Java, we aim to consistently support these plans and strategic developments by streamlining logistics.”

The partnership comes at a time when EJMT is actively investing in expanding its facilities. Currently underway is the construction of a new multipurpose facility, featuring a new breakwater, a 300-meter quay line, a 500-meter swinging basin, two post-Panamax mobile harbor cranes, various cargo handling equipment, and a 13.5-meter draft.

READ: ICTSI breaks ground on East Java terminal

Scheduled for completion in September 2024, the project is poised to further enhance EJMT’s capabilities and contribute to the region’s economic development.

The launch of Meratus Line’s SBON service at EJMT is a significant moment for Lamongan Regency, showing both companies are committed to efficient logistics, boosting economic growth in East Java.

EJMT is a joint venture between ICTSI and East Log Holdings, an Indonesian company specializing in offshore oil and gas supply bases.

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