Media Indonesia - PRESIDENT Joko Widodo inaugurated the soft launching and inaugural operation of Patimban International Port, Subang Regency, West Java. In the soft launching, the first export of 140 cars was carried out using the MV Suzuka Express ship owned by PT Toyofuji Shipping to Brunei Darussalam.

"By saying bismillahirrahmanirrahim, I hereby declare Patimban Port ready and usable," said President Jokowi inaugurating a virtual ceremony from the Bogor Presidential Palace, Sunday (20/12).

Jokowi is grateful and appreciates the completion of the Patimban Port project for the first phase amid the current pandemic. The President stated that the national strategic project played an important role in increasing exports to support the already congested Tanjung Priok Port in Jakarta.

"This project has an important role, a strategic role both in efforts to improve the economy in West Java and the national level in general.

It also serves to strengthen the existence of the Tanjung Priok port which is currently too congested and has caused congestion on the Bekasi-Jakarta, Jakarta-Bekasi roads, "he said.

The President said that Patimban's location is very strategic between industrial areas in Bekasi, Karawang and Purwakarta. In addition, there is also Kertajati Airport in Majalengka Regency. The President believes that the existence of Patimban Port will be a link between industrial areas.

"With its strategic location between Kertajati Airport and industrial areas in Bekasi in Karawang and in Purwakarta, I am sure that the existence of this Patimban Port will be a key link between areas such as the manufacturing, tourism and agricultural centers and support the acceleration of exports," he said. .

In this first phase, Patimban Port is ready to serve 3.75 million containers (TEUs). Its capacity will double to 7 million containers (TEUs) in the third phase. Patimban also has a car terminal capacity of 218,000 completely built up (CBU) and will increase it to 600,000 vehicles that can be exported from there.

"With a car terminal capacity of 218 thousand CBU cars and later 600 thousand vehicles, it will increase our automotive exports to the global market," said the President. The port operation ceremony was also attended directly at the location by the Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi and West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil. (OL-2)