Strait of Malacca Shipping Route: Traffic Volumes, Chokepoints and Port Access
The Strait of Malacca shipping route carried 102,525 vessel transits in 2025, a record, and roughly a quarter of the world’s seaborne trade by value moves through a waterway that narrows to 2.8 kilometres at its tightest point. It is the busiest commercial chokepoint on earth by vessel count, ahead of both Suez and Panama. […]
Kuala Tanjung Port vs Belawan: Comparing North Sumatra’s Two Deepwater Gateways
North Sumatra has two seaports of national significance on the Strait of Malacca, and they are not variations of the same thing. Belawan is the established gateway at Medan’s doorstep. Kuala Tanjung port is the newer, deeper, purpose-built facility roughly a hundred kilometres down the coast in Batubara Regency. The word “deepwater” sits differently on […]
Doing Business in Indonesia: Regulation, Permits and Practical Realities
Doing business in Indonesia means incorporating a foreign investment company, committing to a capital plan, and moving through a risk-based licensing system that has changed materially in the last two years. Most of what is published about the process is out of date on at least one significant point. This guide covers the current company […]
Multimodal Transport North Sumatra: Port, Toll, Rail and Airport
North Sumatra has all four transport modes a manufacturer looks for. It has a deepwater-adjacent seaport at Belawan, a toll corridor running from the port to the industrial south of Medan, a functioning provincial rail network, and an international airport with an integrated rail link. On paper, multimodal transport in North Sumatra looks complete. In […]
Belawan Port Code (IDBLW): What It Means and Where to Use It
The Belawan port code is IDBLW. Five characters, no spaces, no punctuation, and the same five characters whether they appear on a bill of lading in Hamburg, a customs declaration in Medan, or a vessel-tracking screen in Singapore. That is the short answer. The longer one matters more, because a code that looks this simple […]
What Is a Deep Sea Port? Draft, Vessel Classes and Why Depth Decides Cost
A deep sea port is a port whose approach channel and berths are deep enough to receive fully laden ocean-going vessels alongside, without first transferring cargo to smaller ships. No single legal depth makes a port qualify. Published thresholds run from about 9 metres to more than 20 metres depending on the trade in mind, […]
Belawan Port Indonesia Map: Location, Access Roads and Distances
Belawan Port Indonesia map sits on the northeast coast of Sumatra, roughly 26 kilometres north of Medan city centre, at approximately 3°47’N, 98°41’E. It is the principal gateway for North Sumatra’s exports and imports, and the most-searched port reference in the region. This page gives you a working belawan port indonesia map, the real distances […]