sikilmahfud

October 21, 2010, I visited a company in Surabaya. The company I visited is a shipping company located in Tanjung Perak port which manages export, import, and domestic container. The port situation in Tanjung Perak, the second largest port in Indonesia, is quite interesting. That moment, I and my group were taken to the 8th floor inside the office. Pictures below show the view from the 8th floor:





The officer tells a lot of things about the port and shipping company. The information interests me because I never go to the port before. Nah, in this article I want to share about two things, the first is some important equipment that supports the operational in the port and the second is “the journey of the container”. Haha….are you interesting? Let’s read!

1. Important equipments in the port




• Forklift

Forklift is a kind of truck which is used to lift and transport materials. This special truck can carry very heavy material. In the port, one of forklift function is to carry container from container terminal (number 1, the place when containers are stacked) to wharf (number 2, the place when the ships anchor) and vice versa.







Forklift Truck




• Quay Gantry Crane

Quay gantry crane’s shape is like the common crane we often see. But this crane is located in the wharf. Its function is to load and unload containers from cargo ships.




• Rubber Tyres Gantry (RTG) Crane

RTG is also a kind of crane but have two props so the shape is like a gate. RTG is located in the container terminal. Its function is to stack the containers from the truck or train or to put the containers to the truck or train.







2. The journey of the container


Containers in this company are grouped according to the purpose: export, import, and domestic. Each of them has its own different “journey”.

Export container is the container from Indonesia that will be shipped to overseas. The officer told that most of Indonesian products to be exported are furniture. To export through this company, the exporter must send PIB (Permohonan Impor Barang) and then this company will reply with SPPB (Surat Permohonan Pengeluaran Barang) as the acknowledgment. Export goods are carried by truck and after get permission goods are ready to be packed into container to the cargo ship to be exported to overseas.

Import container is vice versa, the container that comes from overseas to Indonesia. Can you guess what does Indonesia import the most? Television, computer, handphone….yeah, electronic gadgets! Cargo ship from overseas that will come must send PEB (Permohonan Ekspor Barang) that will be acknowledged by PE (Persetujuan Ekspor). After the ship comes, containers are taken down from the ship, and pass the inspection; the containers will be carried to the destination , or they will be unpacked and sent to the destination via container truck or train.

Domestic container is container that is directed between companies inside Indonesia. The enter-exit mechanism is almost the same with export-import container, but the approval mechanism is different.

All of import, export, and domestic container must be checked before carried to the destination. They who have privilege to check them are Customs Office. How can we say a container is already proper to be sent? First, container must be undamaged. Even if there is a little damage, container must be impeded until the next instruction is given. This method is used to avoid robbery. Why? If container is torn, probably the thief has damaged it and stolen the material inside so it won’t be properly sent, do you think so? Second, the material inside container must be checked so the shipping of illegal goods such as drugs and guns can be avoided.

That’s all of my report….me, the reporter will be off and back again with another article.