Jakarta (ANTARA) – Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa said on Saturday that he wants tighter regulations governing how long goods can remain at ports.Purbaya said any new rules must be fair and based on reasonable time limits, rather than imposing blanket increases in penalties on all parties.“I have asked for the regulations to be reviewed and for rules to be introduced that would penalize those who leave their goods here for too long,” he said during a visit to Tanjung Priok Customs and Excise Office in Jakarta on Saturday.According to Purbaya, importers have intentionally left cargo at Tanjung Priok Port for months because storage penalties at the port are cheaper than renting warehouses elsewhere, contributing to congestion and reducing logistics efficiency.The minister's visit followed reports of a backlog of about 3,000 unresolved documents and 3,100 containers were still awaiting processing at Tanjung Priok, Indonesia's main gateway for international trade.The situation has drawn complaints from businesses over disruptions to the supply of raw materials and has increased dwelling time, the period containers or cargo spend within the port area before clearance.“I came here to see the situation firsthand. Everyone has already been instructed to make improvements as quickly as possible. The backlog has reportedly fallen from 3,000 to 2,500,” Purbaya said.Based on explanations provided on-site, apart from the absence of regulations governing cargo storage periods at the port, processing had been slowed by a surge in cargo volumes in April and May 2026.Purbaya dismissed the increase in incoming shipments as insufficient justification for the delays.“If the problem is the surge in incoming cargo, then I have asked for additional personnel,” he said.“They should operate 24/7, with two shifts or more if necessary, until the backlog is reduced to its normal level of around 500,” Purbaya added.