Citilink Revision Number of Aircraft

Strategic business unit of PT Garuda Indonesia Tbk, Citilink, revised the number of aircraft to be operated until the end of this year. When originally projected Citilink will operates 15 aircraft, the target is reduced to 10 units.

President Director of Garuda Indonesia, Emirsyah Satar said, it was done because of Garuda Indonesia planes nevertheless grant that during this operation. "Garuda Indonesia’s plane is not suitable for Citilink, due to Citilink’s concept is the low cost carriers (LCC)," Satar said in Jakarta.

The plane which needed by Citilink is the aircraft with a capacity of 180 passengers, while the aircraft owned by Garuda Indonesia is the plane for the premium class with a capacity of 144 passengers. It is considered inefficient.

Therefore, Garuda Indonesia aircraft will not grant to Citilink. "Citilink has decided to operate the Airbus A320, so that Garuda INodnesia’s Boeing Series will be grounded and sold when it's not used anymore," he said.

Emir added that currently it had prepared to make Citilink a stand-alone company. The target is in 2012 has done a spin off.

"We have prepared a business plan that the Ministry of Transportation provide aviation business license this year, the target may spin off next year," he said.

picture: google.com

AirAsia Indonesia, BEST airline at Changi Airport

AirAsia Indonesia airline has been named as one of the 10 best airlines based on the growth of passenger numbers by Singapore's Changi Airport. The airline is now flying passengers from various cities in Indonesia. The award was accepted by Widijastoro Nugroho, Director of Marketing and Distribution Indonesia AirAsia.

"We feel proud of being one of the best airlines based on the growth in passenger numbers in neighboring countries like Singapore. AirAsia Indonesia passenger occupancy rate for the route to and from Singapore to date are very good, which is about 85 percent," said Dharmadi, President Director of Indonesia AirAsia.

Canopy of the award is the Changi Airline Awards, held at the Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore. Changi Airport Group (CAG) held the annual awards ceremony, Changi Airline Awards, to celebrate the cooperation that has been well established by the airline which has been a partner of the airport. The event held since the awards began in July 2009.

Singapore has become a popular destination for users of aviation services, particularly in Indonesia. AirAsia Indonesia itself is currently flying as much as 13 times daily to Singapore from its hub in Jakarta, Denpasar, Bandung, and Yogyakarta. Singapore is a destination that can be completed in approximately two hours from four hub.

Not only AirAsia Indonesia which was awarded as the best airline from Changi Airport, AirAsia Berhad also received the same award in the event. Present as representatives of AirAsia Berhad is Kathleen Tan, Regional Head of Commercial AirAsia.

picture: google.com

Changi air freight increases 3.3pc to 908,700 tonnes in first half

BUOYED by the growth in intra-Asia trade, Singapore's Changi Airport handled 908,700 tonnes of cargo in the first six months of the year, an increase of 3.3 per cent over the same period last year.

Statistics show that in the month of June alone, 153,200 tonnes of cargo went through the airport, a hike of 2.3 per cent year on year.

The city state's airport registered 22.4 million passengers in the first half of 2012, a 10.7 per cent jump compared to the same period last year. In June, four million passengers went through the airport, 10.8 per cent more than in June 2011. Low cost carriers (LCC) led the growth in passenger movements, increasing 25.2 per cent while full service carriers grew 6.6 per cent. One in four passengers who passed through Changi flew by an LCC.

Aircraft movements grew in tandem, increasing 14.8 per cent to 25,000 flights during June. For the first six months of the year, Changi Airport handled 144,700 aircraft movements, a rise of 13.1 per cent compared to the first half of 2010.

Year-to-date, south east Asia and north east Asia traffic led the increase in passenger movement, rising 16.4 per cent and 10.4 per cent, respectively, and accounting for more than two thirds of passenger movements at Changi. Traffic to and from eastern Europe rose 16.7 per cent during the first six months, albeit from a relatively smaller base.

For the first half of the year, Changi's top five city links, in terms of passenger movements, remained largely unchanged; Singapore-Jakarta remained the busiest sector. Hong Kong replaced Kuala Lumpur at the second spot, with Bangkok and Manila completing the top five.

Since the beginning of the year, four carriers - Air Macau, Finnair, Hong Kong Airlines and Taiwan's TransAsia Airways - commenced services to Changi.

picture: google.com/source;Shippingazette[dot]com

APL Logistics extends double-stack IndiaLinx train service to India

SINGAPORE's Neptune Orient Lines unit APL Logistics has announced that has run its first double-stack container train service in India.

APL IndiaLinx, its rail operations arm in the country, stacked 90 FEUs two high on a train that departed Mundra Port on the west coast on June 16 for an inland container rail terminal at Kishangarh, near Delhi, said a company statement.

The double-stacked train operation for the Mundra-Kishangarh followed the Indian Railways' recent decision to allow stacked train access along this rail corridor. The development was part of the rail authority's bigger project to provide a freight-dedicated network of railroads with double-stack train access connecting key gateway ports and major North Indian industrial centres before end 2016. APL IndiaLinx plans to expand its stacked train service network as more rail corridors are allowed double-stack access said the company.

"Double-stack trains are becoming an imperative in the rapidly-growing Indian market," said APL IndiaLinx managing director Amitabha Chaudhuri. "They help to ease congestion at ports where capacity constraint of rail corridors exists. Shippers also stand to enjoy improved connectivity between the key gateway ports and the major industrial centres in North India, and predictability, as we roll out stacked train services.”

APL Logistics provides international, integrated supply chain services in 53 countries, including both origin and destination services such as freight consolidation, warehousing and distribution management.

Established in 2006, APL IndiaLinx is one of the first privately-owned companies to be granted the most comprehensive rail operating licence in India. It owns and operates 18 weekly rail services between inland container rail terminals in the northern India and the gateway ports on India's west coast. The domestic rail operations arm of APL Logistics in India, APL IndiaLinx, reported a strong growth of 70 per cent in volume and 90 per cent in revenue in 2010.

source: Shipping Gazette / picture: google.com

Merpati Nusantara Airlines buy 20 aircraft from PT Dirgantara Indonesia

PT Merpati Nusantara Airlines (MNA) plans to buy 20 aircraft types N-219 from PT Dirgantara Indonesia (DI). This will be started in 2015.

"In our business plan until 2020 there was a need 20 units aircraft with 20 seater. PT DI manufacture it. And, in our meeting, PT Dirgantara Indonesia is able to produce in 2014, 2015 forward, on work," said President Director of PT Merpati Nusantara Airlines (MNA) Sardjono Jhony Ciptokusomo, after attending a meeting with a number of ministries related with PMN, in the Parliament Building, Jakarta, Monday (04/07/2011).

He revealed this as part of the promotion of synergy between the BUMN (Indonesian state owned enterprises). Sardjono would also agree if Merpati Airlines will use domestic products. "If it was say 4 million U.S. dollars per unit, then approximately 80 million dollars," he added.

For these funds, he could not say from which source. Purchase this plane will not use the funds obtained from the PMN (State Capital) amounting to Rp561 billion. But, he said, the intention is the first thing.

Purchase of 20 units of aircraft is expected to be fulfilled in three years, with seven aircraft per year. The aircraft is planned to use by Merpati Nusantara Airlines further reach out to the border regions. "So that the communities in the border areas do not feel isolated, do not feel left out," said Sardjono.

picture: google.com

Indonesia's export volume increased and the highest record

Indonesia's export performance in May 2011 has a new record in history. The realization of exports in May exceeded the previous history which occurred in April 2011.

Badan Pusat Statistik (BPS-Statistics Indonesia) recorded, the realization of Indonesia exports in May through U.S. $ 18.33 billion or exceed the performance in April 2011 which reached U.S. $ 16 billion. "Export is a supreme achievement, a new record because it can penetrate more than U.S. $ 16-17 billion, ie U.S. $ 18.33 billion, "BPS chief Rusman Heriawan said on Friday (1 / 7).

Export performance has increased by 45.29% compared to same period previous year. When compared to April 2011, exports increased 10.76%. Indonesia's total exports for the calendar year 2011 or January-May 2011 reached U.S. $ 80.28 billion, growing 33.37% over the same period the previous year.

In terms of commodities, the largest portion is still held by mineral fuels with a value of U.S. $ 9.75 billion, followed by fats and oils of animal / vegetable which reached U.S. $ 8.09 billion. Rusman admitted, an increase in export performance is inseparable from the rise in world commodity prices, particularly the surge in oil prices or crude palm oil (CPO).

In terms of export destination countries, Japan is still the largest with a value of U.S. $ 7.35 billion. The second xxport destination is occupied by China amounted to U.S. $ 7.01 billion, followed by the United States U.S. $ 6.56 billion, the ASEAN countries amounted to U.S. $ 13.77 billion and the EU amounted to U.S. $ 8.68 billion. "Despite the tsunami, Japan is still the largest market share," he said.

Based on the sector, exports for January-May 2011 dominated the industrial sector 61.74%, up from earlier that only 60.43% in the previous month. Improved export performance is also coupled with heightened realization of import in May 2011. The value of Indonesian imports for May 2011 reached U.S. $ 14.83 billion, an increase of 48.54% over the same period the previous year. "The month on month (mom) in total imports fell 0.42%. But for non-oil rose 0.24%. That oil imports are down, "he explained.

If refer to the calendar year, total imports from January to May 2011 reached U.S. $ 68.51 billion, an increase of 33.86%. Non-oil imports reached U.S. $ 52.53 billion, and the largest portion of the mechanical engine of U.S. $ 9.1 billion. Imports from China amounted to U.S. $ 9.74 billion, while Japan is only U.S. $ 7.08 billion and Thailand at U.S. $ 4.28 billion. Imports from China are the largest imports.

Rusman added that overall, the trade balance in May 2011 still recorded a surplus of U.S. $ 3.51 billion and for the period January-May 2011 amounted to U.S. $ 11.77 billion.

Director of Distribution Statistics BPS, Satwiko Darmesto add as much as 61% increase in exports boosted non-oil industries. "Commodities are mineral fuels, vegetable oils, rubber, rubber goods, machinery and electrical equipment, seed crust and metallic ash," he explained.

Meanwhile, foreign trade balance for the month of May amounted to U.S. $ 3.059 billion. "As for the difference in the trade balance from the beginning of the year to May amounted to U.S. $ 11 billion," he said.

Satwiko claimed Indonesia export performance in May is the greatest achievement in history. "The record is not only alone but the total exports of the sector also increased as oil and gas exports of U.S. $ 4.1011,9 billion, and especially non-oil hit a record U.S. $ 14, so that 222.2 and a total of U.S. $ 18, 334.1,"lid.

GARUDA INDONESIA purchased two FLIGHT simulators

In line with the development and modernization of fleet, Garuda Indonesia purchased two flight simulators, type A330-200 simulator and type B-737-800 NG from CAE. Two simulators are a type of CAE 7000 Level D and CAE 7000 Tropos 6000.

Purchase simulator is intended to support the operation of Garuda Indonesia, especially to carry out training for the pilots of Garuda Indonesia.

President Director of Garuda Indonesia Emirsyah Satar said that in anticipation of increased aviation industry market quite rapidly, Garuda Indonesia has implemented the program "Quantum Leap 2015" in which Garuda Indonesia will operate as many as 153 aircrafts in 2015 including the A330-200 and B-737-800NG.

"Cooperation procurement simulator A330-200 and B-737-800NG with CAE will assist Garuda Indonesia in meeting the availability of pilots in a timely manner. In addition, the simulator will also give Garuda Indonesia’s pilots the best training in Garuda Indonesia Training Center, Jakarta, "said Emir.

President of Civil Simulation Product CAE, Jeff Roberts said that in line with the development of Garuda Indonesia is quite rapid, especially in network development and improvement of its service, Garuda Indonesia will need more pilots.

"These new flight simulators will help pave the pilot needs to set up as planned with the best training equipment," said Jeff Roberts. Garuda Indonesia operates 44 aircraft B-737-800 NG aircraft type A330-300/200 and 12 of a total 87 aircraft owned Garuda Indonesia today. CAE is an international company based in Montreal Canada engaged in the manufacture of civil aviation training equipment and military technology-based.

picture: google.com