Jakarta Governor Apologizes for Severe Traffic Jam at Tanjung Priok Port

JAKARTA, investortrust.id — Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung has issued a public apology for the severe traffic congestion that has paralyzed access to Tanjung Priok Port, Indonesia’s busiest harbor and logistics gateway. The disruption, which left thousands of vehicles stranded for days, was caused by an unexpected spike in container truck traffic far beyond normal capacity.

Speaking at Jakarta City Hall on Saturday, Governor Pramono said he was deeply troubled by the incident, which he described as unacceptable. “This situation has caused significant concern, and I want to extend my sincerest apologies to the public,” he stated, according to Indonesia’s state news agency Antara.

The congestion, which reached critical levels earlier this week, stemmed from excessive truck traffic managed by state-owned port operator PT Pelabuhan Indonesia, or Pelindo. While Tanjung Priok normally handles about 2,500 trucks per day, the volume surged to 4,000 and even peaked at 7,000 trucks per day—nearly triple its designed capacity.

‘Total Mismanagement’ at the Port

Despite stating that the Jakarta provincial government was not directly responsible, Governor Pramono emphasized accountability. “As governor, I still bear the responsibility and must apologize,” he said.

He criticized the port operator’s logistics planning, calling it unprofessional. “This is a clear sign of mismanagement by those overseeing Tanjung Priok,” Pramono added, after learning the extent of the issue from Jakarta Transportation Agency officials.

In response, Pramono has instructed Jakarta’s Transportation Agency Head Syafrin Liputo to issue a formal and firm warning to Pelindo, demanding accountability to prevent further disruption. “This traffic mess has lasted for three days—it must not happen again,” he said.

Pelindo has since apologized to the Jakarta administration and the public. However, Governor Pramono said an apology alone was not enough and stressed that structural improvements must follow.

 

Overloaded Port Due to Delayed Ship Arrivals

The congestion crisis began on Wednesday evening, April 16, when long lines of container trucks formed along Jalan Yos Sudarso, the main road leading into Tanjung Priok. The situation worsened with three large container ships arriving outside of their designated schedules, significantly disrupting operations at the NPCT 1 terminal, one of the port’s key container handling facilities.

According to Drajat Sulistyo, Executive Director for Pelindo’s Regional 2, the three vessels—MSC Adu V, Ever Balmy, and Starship Venus—arrived either a week or a day behind schedule. Their late docking resulted in an unexpected spike in unloading activity during an already congested post-holiday period.

“These ships should have arrived earlier. The window for container vessel operations is tightly scheduled, and their delays added volume to a period that was already over capacity,” Drajat explained.

Pelindo attributed the backlog in part to the three-day Eid al-Fitr holiday earlier in the week, which disrupted logistics planning and delayed unloading and clearance activities.

Wider Impacts and Policy Implications

Earlier reports indicated that up to 95% of containers held at Tanjung Priok and Surabaya’s Tanjung Perak ports had been released after the backlog, but the delays still highlight persistent vulnerabilities in Indonesia’s port logistics system.

As Jakarta’s leadership faces growing scrutiny over infrastructure coordination, the incident raises questions about how national and local governments, along with state-owned enterprises like Pelindo, manage critical trade infrastructure during peak periods.

Governor Pramono concluded by stressing the urgency of reform. “This must be a lesson for all involved. Our logistics chain cannot afford another failure like this.”