Patimban Port in West Java has expanded its connection to international shipping networks after a COSCO container vessel called at the port to reposition empty containers to Shanghai, China.
The Hong Kong-flagged COSCO COLOMBO arrived at Patimban on Sept. 5 from Jakarta and departed on Sept. 6 after loading about 1,290 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of empty containers for Shanghai, according to the port’s operational plan.
The vessel, operating under voyage 145.N, is 261.10 metres long and has a gross tonnage of 40,447 tonnes.
The call marks a shift in COSCO’s use of Patimban from domestic container movements to a direct connection with its international network.
Previously, COSCO handled domestic container movements through a Jakarta-Marunda-Patimban route. Empty containers from Jakarta and Marunda were transported to Patimban for unloading and temporary storage at the Patimban Port Container Terminal.
The latest operation allows empty containers stored at Patimban to be loaded directly onto a vessel bound for Shanghai.
“This shows that Patimban is not only seeing an increase in vessel calls, but also an expansion in the functions it can support,” said Mohd Arief Agustian, Head of the Patimban Class II Port Authority and Harbormaster Office (KSOP).
“Empty containers arriving from Jakarta and Marunda can be staged at Patimban and subsequently repositioned into international networks,” he said.
The COSCO operation adds to existing international empty-container repositioning through the Enhanced Seahorse service operated by Mediterranean Shipping Co (MSC).
Patimban’s container terminal handles export and import cargo and is increasingly being used for the temporary storage and repositioning of empty containers, according to the port authority.
The development could provide an alternative route for managing container flows that have traditionally been concentrated around Jakarta, as Patimban seeks to strengthen its role in serving industrial areas in West Java.
The latest service follows the expansion of container shipping options at Patimban in recent months, increasing the port’s links with international shipping networks.
