Jakarta. The Customs and Excise Directorate has released 95 percent of the more than 26,500 containers of imported goods that were previously detained at Tanjung Priok Port in Jakarta and Tanjung Perak Port in Surabaya, the country’s two largest container ports, in recent weeks.

The move followed Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan's issuance of a regulation to ease the handling procedures for imported goods, responding to widespread public protests.

The release aims to accelerate business activities and support the national economy, said Nirwala Dwi Heryanto, a spokesman for the directorate.

“We ensure that the process remains in compliance with good governance principles and existing laws with an accountable mechanism,” he said in a statement on Monday.

The release of thousands of containers was conducted in coordination with relevant parties such as importers, surveyors, port management, the state-run shipping company Pelindo, the Trade Ministry, and the Industry Ministry, he added.

Some containers will continue to be held for failing to meet the Indonesia National Standard (SNI) requirements, violating import procedures, or being categorized as unclaimed goods.

As of Sunday, Tanjung Priok has received 8,900 new containers, while Tanjung Perak has taken in another 2,400 new containers.

Despite the release, Nirwala said the yard occupancy ratio of the two ports remains within the safe level of 40-50 percent.

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