Indonesian Importers Push for Regulation Routing Terminal Handling Charges Directly to Terminal Operators
GINSI estimates more than Rp2 trillion a year in VAT currently leaks to foreign shipping agents and wants Kemenhub to mandate direct payment to terminal operators - a change that would rework invoicing flows for millions of containers.
GINSI, Indonesia's national importers association, is pressing the Transport Ministry to issue a regulation requiring terminal handling charges to be paid by importers directly to container terminal operators rather than through foreign shipping agents, the association said on 11 November. GINSI argues the current scheme sends the 11% VAT on loading and unloading activity abroad, estimating more than Rp2 trillion per year in foregone state revenue based on about 13 million TEU and typical THC levels - calculations produced by the association itself. Direct payment would also shield importers from exchange-rate fluctuation in THC pricing, the group said.
The proposal, if adopted, would restructure invoicing and payment flows for millions of containers annually, giving importers a direct billing relationship with terminals and adding reconciliation work on both sides. Shipping agents are expected to resist, and no government response has been registered so far; the proposal nonetheless lands amid active regulatory work on logistics flows following November's Presidential Regulation 41/2026 on national logistics.