Antoni Arif Priadi, Director General of Sea Transportation at the Ministry of Transportation, said Makassar—one of the largest urban centers in eastern Indonesia—is strategically positioned to serve as a transit point for trade with Asia, Europe, and the Americas.
The route is expected to help reduce logistics costs due to shorter distances and more efficient travel times.
"We are currently formulating a policy to make Makassar a new export hub alongside Tanjung Priok and Surabaya," Priadi said in Jakarta on Wednesday.
He noted that Makassar Port has a capacity of up to 2 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) per year, but currently only utilizes 300,000 TEUs.
The port will be expanded further once it approaches full capacity.
"If we reach 2 million TEUs, we’ll begin further development. It's still feasible, and conveniently, Makassar is located along key shipping lanes—both upper and lower routes pass through here," he explained.
Prasetyo, Director of Strategy at state-owned port operator PT Pelabuhan Indonesia (Pelindo), said the company is exploring regional potential, particularly in eastern Indonesia.
This aligns with the government’s directive to develop eastern regions, especially those with special economic zones (SEZs).
"Five or ten years ago, we didn’t expect Sulawesi to grow this fast with its nickel industry. That’s why blind spot analysis is important when untapped resources across Indonesia show such strong potential," Prasetyo said.
He added that Pelindo, the Ministry of Transportation, and the American Chamber of Commerce are working together to establish a new shipping route from Indonesia to Los Angeles.
"Our main goal is to reduce logistics costs. More efficient routing benefits cargo owners and shipping lines—and ultimately strengthens Indonesia’s position as a maritime nation," he concluded.
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Translator: Kuntum Khaira Riswan
Editor: Anton Santoso
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