The Government of Indonesia has announced plans to develop Makassar Port in South Sulawesi into a key export hub to complement existing gateways at Tanjung Priok and Surabaya. The initiative aims to capitalise on Makassar’s strategic location along key international shipping lanes to reduce logistics costs and support eastern Indonesia’s economic growth.
Currently operating at only 300,000 TEUs annually, the port has a total capacity of 2 million TEUs, with expansion plans in place as volumes increase. Officials from the Ministry of Transportation and Pelindo cited the region’s rapid industrial growth—particularly in the nickel sector—and are considering new international routes, including to Los Angeles, in collaboration with the American Chamber of Commerce.