Busy trade activities in Belawan's container terminal has helped the North Sumatra port record almost 15 percent growth in traffic during the first half of this year, according to state-run port company Pelindo I, reported The Jakarta Post.
Spokesman Muhammad Eriansyah said the traffic at Belawan International Container Terminal (BICT) reached 463,281 TEUs from January to June this year.
"The growth in Belawan is significant because export and import activities are increasing. Also, it is near the Malacca Strait, which is one of the world's busiest trade zones," Eriansyah told The Jakarta Post.
According to him, the traffic increase is predicted to continue because Belawan is the main port gateway in Sumatra and it plays a vital role in supporting the national logistics chains.
Throughout 2012, Belawan recorded 853,388 TEUs.
Eriansyah said the port contributes 40 percent to the firm's total revenue that stood at US$88 million in the first six months of the year.
"Belawan has always been the major contributor to container traffic and revenue for the company because of its strategic location and infrastructure," he said.
In anticipation of surging demand in the future Pelindo I plans to start the BICT expansion project by the end of this year.
The firm will collaborate with state owned construction firms Wijaya Karya and Hutama Karya to work on the project.
The firm is going to expand Belawan's yard from 950m to 1,650m, add a 30 hectare container yard, 24 units of transtainers and eight container cranes.
The project will bring an additional capacity of 800,000 TEUs. It is slated for completion by the end of 2016.
Currently, BICT has a total capacity of 1.2 million TEUs.
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