# Belawan (ID BLW)

**UN/LOCODE:** ID BLW  
**Country:** Indonesia  
**Water Body:** Strait of Malacca; Indian Ocean  
**Harbor Size:** Medium  
**Harbor Type:** River (Natural)  
**GPS:** 3.7833, 98.6833

North Sumatra's rubber, palm oil, cocoa and coffee largely reach world markets through one port: Belawan, just outside Medan. The biggest port on Sumatra and among Indonesia's largest, it sits on the Strait of Malacca, one of the busiest shipping lanes on earth. Container traffic is concentrated at the Belawan New Container Terminal (BNCT): since 2025 terminal and shipping group DP World has run operations alongside Indonesian state operator Pelindo and sovereign fund INA, expanding capacity from roughly 600,000 toward 1.4 million TEU. The stated aim is to win more direct deep-sea calls for North Sumatra and reduce reliance on regional hub ports. Beyond containers, its many berths handle general cargo, dry bulk, crude palm oil (CPO) and passengers. The port is the main export outlet for agricultural and forestry products from North Sumatra, Aceh and Riau. Road and rail link it to the Medan hinterland. Until the expansion takes full effect, Belawan still works as a feeder to the deep-sea hubs of Singapore and Port Klang, where the largest vessels are best served and most such cargo is transshipped.

## Transit Times & Routes

- [Jakarta → Shanghai](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/transit-time/jakarta-shanghai)
- [Jakarta → Shenzhen](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/transit-time/jakarta-shenzhen)
- [Jakarta → Guangzhou](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/transit-time/jakarta-guangzhou)
- [Jakarta → Hong Kong](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/transit-time/jakarta-hong-kong)
- [Jakarta → Tokyo](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/transit-time/jakarta-tokyo)
- [Jakarta → Busan](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/transit-time/jakarta-busan)

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*Freight Academy — Seaport Profile: [https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/seaports/belawan-port-id-blw](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/seaports/belawan-port-id-blw)*

*Markdown mirror: [https://www.freight-academy.com/api/md/seaports/en/belawan-port-id-blw](https://www.freight-academy.com/api/md/seaports/en/belawan-port-id-blw)*

*LLM-Summary (JSON): https://www.freight-academy.com/api/v1/seaports/belawan-port-id-blw/llm-summary?lang=en*