24/08/05 JAKARTA, (Asia Pulse) - The operator of the Teluk Bayur port ofWest Sumatra PT Pelabuhan Indonesia (Pelindo) II said it will build acrude palm oil (CPO) terminal due to an increase in shipments of thatcommodity from the province.

Pelindo II General Manager for Teluk Bayur Azis Suhartono saidconstruction of the CPO terminal is urgent as CPO shipments from that porthas continued to increase.

Azis said the port handles the shipments of CPO not only from West Javabut also from other neighboring provinces.

In 2004, CPO shipments from Teluk Bayur totaled 869,687 tons, an increaseof 35 per cent from the previous year, he said.

This year shipments are predicted to increase to 1 million tons and in2006 the figure is expected to rise further to 1.5 million tons, he said.

(ANTARA)