Recently, the Head of Airport Management Unit (UPBU) Kalimarau Berau, Ferdinan Nurdin conducted a strategic meeting with the Director of Cargo Operational of Lion Air Group, and some stakeholders. In the same month, Head of UPBU Kalimarau Berau conducted a signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a national cargo airline, PT Rusky Aero Indonesia (RUS Airline).

The strategic meeting between UPBU Kalimarau and Lion Air Group on Thursday (Jan 31, 2024), discussed the steps of cargo delivery potency development via Kalimarau Airport (BEJ), in Berau Regency in East Kalimantan.

“Collaboratively, we discussed some strategies to speed up and ease the process of cargo delivery so it will become the main booster to increase the logistic distribution in East Kalimantan, increase the economy, and reduce the inflation level in Berau,” said Ferdinan.

Moreover, we will also conduct a thorough review of facilities, tools, and infrastructures that are owned by the airport as an export preparation so the consolidators can deliver cargoes from Kalimarau Airport.

Berau Regency has marine products like Grouper for Hong Kong distribution for 15 tons per month. There are also Crabs, Ronggeng shrimps, Octopus, Baby Octopus, and Pufferfish with the purchaser’s requirements for fresh and alive products with a total tonnage of export delivery is 50 tons per month.

Exporters should deliver the commodities to Jakarta (CGK) or Surabaya (SUB) to be checked by the Quarantine Body and Customs and Clearance Agency so it will take longer stages and bigger costs.

“In line with the President Instruction Number 5 Year 2020 (Inpres No.5/2020) concerning the National Logistics Ecosystem (NLE) Management to trim the business process, time, and costs of logistics delivery, therefore, NLE is expected to be implemented at Kalimarau Airport to optimise the cargo delivery and export by conducting the check of exported cargo commodities at the Kalimarau Airport,” he said.

Besides the cargo delivery potency, Ferdinan explained that Berau Regency has other potencies like entertainment business, tourism destination, and local MSMEs opportunities.

“By having big potencies, hope, the cargo entrepreneurs will not only focus on the cargo business at Kalimarau Airport, but they can also open business opportunities to increase the frequency of people visit to Kalimarau Airport,” said Ferdinan.

MoU with RUS

Meanwhile, in the mid of January 2024, the Head of UPBU Kalimarau, Ferdinan Nurdin and his management had signed the MoU of cargo airline operation commitment and discussed strategic steps to accelerate the optimation of international and domestic cargo delivery at Kalimarau Airport. The signing of MoU as the cargo airline operation commitment at Kalimarau Airport is a historical milestone in accelerating international and domestic cargo delivery optimation.

“Big potency is in Berau Regency, in terms of cargo delivery, especially in farming, fishery, plantation, and mining,” said Ferdinan.

He continued, that the potencies can be optimized with the presence of cargo airlines that aim to increase the goods delivery at Berau Regency to reduce the inflation level.

Meanwhile, Rhama Adji Wibawa, the Commissioner of PT Rusky Aero Indonesia (RUS Airline), said: “The availability of goods that will be distributed to assure the use of airfreights maximally. Principally, RUS agreed to support the development of cargo delivery at the Kalimarau Airport.”

In the context of price competition, exporters express their concern about the goods delivery costs via air transportation that it’s not yet competitive if it’s compared with other transportation modes. Therefore, exporters hope the policy from cargo airlines can facilitate and accommodate the exporters’ needs.

Apart from that, the discussion also includes finalizing operational routes to suit the needs of cargo shippers in the Berau Regency.

Discussions that involved all stakeholders are expected to jointly commit to supporting the needs and fulfilment of the realization of the presence of cargo airlines in the Berau Regency.

“Hope, the effort will not only advance the goods delivery sector but also make a positive contribution to the Berau community as a whole,” concluded Ferdinan.