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Logistics Train Encourages the Reduction of Freight Costs
11 September 2019The high cost of logistics in Indonesia is currently around 24 percent of Gross Domestic Product, or around Rp1,820 trillion, making Indonesian products less competitive. Of that amount, the transportation sector takes the largest portion, which is 60 percent of logistics costs.
Therefore, one of the efforts that must be carried out is to optimize the use of logistics trains in the transportation of goods. Such is the common thread of the Indonesian Railroad Community National Workshop (Maska) held in Surabaya, Tuesday (3/9/2019).
General Chairman Maska Hemanto Dwiatmoko said that the role of logistics trains should be greater in logistics transportation because there has been a lot of railway infrastructure built.
"In the Java Pantura lane, the railway line has been built double, so that travel capacity can be increased," said Hermanto.
But infrastructure development is not enough because it is still not connected to ports and production centers. Even if it is already connected, the means of loading and unloading goods for trains must also be equipped.
Secretary of the Ministry of Transportation's Directorate General of Railways Zulmafendi said, the role of trains in the transport of goods is still very small, which is only one percent of total transportation.
"90 percent of transportation is still carried out by trucking. However, the growth in the volume of goods transported continues to increase every year. If in 2016 the volume of goods was only 32.49 million tons, in 2017 it increased to 40 million tons and in 2018 it would increase again to 45.2 million tons, "said Zulmafendi.
There are many advantages gained by railroad transportation. For example, time certainty, large transport capacity, efficient, low exhaust emissions, and safety. But transportation by freight trains also has shortcomings.
Like, there is no door to door service so handling costs are more expensive than truck mode. Total transport time is longer and less flexible.
"To overcome the existing obstacles, the Directorate General of Railways has made a strategic plan for railroad development," he said.
For example, building a double track in Java and Sumatra, reactivation of the railroad, integration of the railway line with the port, building a new railway line that connects production centers such as mining, plantations, agriculture and others with the port.
Even so to build it, one cannot expect only a budget from the government as a whole.
"The budget needed is Rp35.96 trillion. The budget cannot all be met by the government. There needs to be cooperation with SOEs and the private sector, "said Zulmafendi.
Meanwhile Director of PT Kereta Api Logistik, Hendy Helmi, said that the growth in the volume of goods transported by him experienced an average growth of 18.8 percent annually.
This growth will continue to be maintained for the next five years. This very positive growth continues even though there are still many obstacles that have yet to be overcome.
"For example, currently industrial centers are scattered everywhere and far from the railroad tracks, causing inefficiencies in handling," said Hendy.
In addition, the dominance of goods is still one-way, namely Jakarta to Surabaya to full capacity. While the direction of Surabaya to Jakarta to Surabaya is only filled 20-40 percent of the fleet's capacity. (omy)
Source: http://beritatrans.com/2019/09/03/ka-logistik-dorong-penurunan-biaya-angkutan-barang/
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