Domestic cargo shipping disrupted

JAKARTA: Domestic cargo shipping from and to Soekarno-Hatta Cengkareng Airport was disrupted for hours due to x-ray machine retraction, causing a stacking of goods in the airports first line area.Such disruption occurred after the whole warehouse operators retracted their x-ray machine from Indonesias largest airport, Head of Indonesian Logistics and Forwarder Association (ALFI/ ILFA) Soekarno-Hatta Airport Arman Yahya said.The imposition of regulated agent (RA) regulation starting from yesterday at 00:00 WIB leads to such retraction.As reported, there is a huge pile-up of domestic cargo in the airport, he said yesterday.Reduction of warehouse operator that handles domestic cargo from eight into three operators also adds to the cargo pile up.Those eight warehouse operators are PT Jasa Angkasa Semesta Tbk (JAS), PT Gapura Angkasa, Garuda, RPX, Unex, Wahana, Cardig, and Fedex. All of them have warehouses in the airport first line area.The eight operators usually handle 400 tons of domestic cargo and now there are only three operators. Can you imagine how hard it would be?Those three operators are PT Duta Angkasa Prima Kargo, PT Gita Afian Trans (Gatrans), and PT Fajar Anugerah Sejahtera (FAS). All of them has been certificated and becomes the regulated agents.Arman assessed the appointment of those three companies as a form of coercion from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation at Transport Ministry.InconsistentHe also added that the x-ray machine retraction is a form of inconsistency since Transport Ministry has affirmed that the eight operators can be temporary agents until the RA regulation is fully applied in August 16, 2011.During the grace period, the warehouse operators must meet the requirement comprehensiveness as regulated agent.The regulation for domestic cargo No 255/ IV/2011 was effective starting July 4, Directorate of Aviation Security at Transport Ministry M. Fuschad said.Meanwhile, referring to international cargo, the directorate will apply it fully when the 3-month extension requested by several parties is overdue or on August 16, 2011.The postponement of international cargo inspection is already behind its initial schedule in May 16 although its postponed until August 16 for preparation and evaluation.Director of Operations at PT Duta Angkasa Prima Kargo Zulkarnaen affirmed the management of domestic cargo inspection has been handed over since July 3.PT Duta Angkasa Prima Kargo and Gatrans only inspect the domestic cargo physical condition while FAS handles international cargo. (T06/NOM)