FOB Belawan vs Tanjung Priok: Which Port for Indonesian Green Coffee?
Published June 2026 · By Willkin Green Coffee (PT Global Wills Sejahtera)
Most Indonesian green coffee is exported through one of two ports: Belawan (Port of Medan) in North Sumatra, or Tanjung Priok in Jakarta. Understanding the difference matters for pricing, lead time, and which coffee origins are realistically available at each port.
Port Overview
Attribute
Belawan (Medan)
Tanjung Priok (Jakarta)
Official name
Port of Belawan
Port of Tanjung Priok
Location
North Sumatra
DKI Jakarta, Java
Operator
Pelindo 1
Pelindo 2
Type
Regional gateway — direct call + feeder
Main hub — direct call to major shipping lines
Container throughput
~1.1M TEU/year
~7.5M TEU/year
Connecting via feeder to
Port Klang (Malaysia), Singapore
Singapore (direct), Port Klang
Which Origins Typically Ship From Each Port?
Origin
Primary Export Port
Reason
Gayo Arabica (Aceh)
Belawan
Overland ~7 hours from Gayo highlands to Medan
Mandheling / Lintong Arabica
Belawan
Origin in North Sumatra — natural gateway
Lampung Robusta
Panjang (Bandar Lampung) or Priok
Lampung is near Jakarta; short Sunda Strait crossing
Java Robusta
Tanjung Priok
Java-based origin; direct trucking to Jakarta
Flores Arabica
Priok or Makassar
Transhipment from Flores via regional ports
Toraja Arabica
Makassar (Sultan Hasanuddin)
South Sulawesi origin — Makassar is closer
Bali Kintamani
Priok or Benoa (Bali)
Bali to Java crossing, then Priok
Transit Times to Key Destination Markets
Destination
From Belawan
From Tanjung Priok
Notes
Rotterdam, Netherlands
~22–25 days
~20–24 days
Via Singapore or Port Klang hub
Hamburg, Germany
~24–28 days
~22–26 days
Similar routing
Los Angeles, USA
~18–22 days
~18–21 days
Trans-Pacific routing
New York, USA
~25–30 days
~24–28 days
Suez or Panama Canal
Tokyo, Japan
~8–12 days
~8–11 days
Short Asia-Pacific route
Busan, South Korea
~9–13 days
~9–12 days
Similar
Shanghai, China
~7–10 days
~7–9 days
Fastest major route
Singapore (hub)
3–4 days feeder
2–3 days feeder
Connects to all major lines
Note: Actual transit time depends on the shipping line schedule and whether the vessel calls Belawan directly or routes via Singapore/Port Klang feeder.
FOB Price Difference
FOB price is quoted at the loading port. When comparing quotes from different suppliers, ensure you're comparing the same port basis. A Gayo supplier quoting FOB Belawan is not directly comparable to a Lampung supplier quoting FOB Panjang without adjusting for freight differentials.
Example: If Gayo Grade 1 is quoted at USD 4.20/kg FOB Belawan, and the freight from Belawan to Rotterdam is USD 0.18/kg higher than from Priok, the effective landed cost comparison matters more than the FOB price itself.
Practical Guidance: Which Port to Request?
Buyer Profile
Recommended Port
Reason
Buying Gayo or Mandheling Arabica
FOB Belawan
Origin proximity; avoids overland Jakarta haul
Buying Lampung Robusta
FOB Panjang or Priok
Origin in South Sumatra near both ports
Buying Java or Flores coffee
FOB Priok
Java is direct; Flores tranships naturally to Priok
Buying mixed-origin container
FOB Priok
Larger hub; more shipping line options
Price-sensitive on small volumes
FOB Priok
More direct-call shipping lines = better LCL rates
Willkin ships from: FOB Belawan for Gayo Arabica and Mandheling. FOB Priok or Panjang for Lampung Robusta and mixed-origin orders. Exact port confirmed with your shipment proforma.