PT Meratus Line Enters Alliance with Google Cloud and PT Metrodata Electronics Tbk to Build Indonesia’s First Maritime Logist

Indonesia’s leading maritime and logistics operator will also harness Google Cloud’s AI capabilities to empower increased staff productivity and optimize operational costs

Surabaya, Indonesia, Feb. 20, 2023 – PT Meratus Line (Meratus), the leading maritime and logistics operator in Indonesia, today announced a strategic collaboration with Google Cloud and PT Metrodata Electronics Tbk (Metrodata) to accelerate digital innovation and reinforce its position as a customer-centric organization. The multi-year collaboration involves Meratus adopting Google Cloud’s open data cloud and tapping Metrodata’s technical expertise to build Indonesia’s first maritime logistics “super app” and to embed artificial intelligence (AI) into its operations.

 

An active shipping nation, Indonesia holds a strategic geographic position along two important shipping channels—the Strait of Malacca and the Sunda Strait—underscoring the country’s potential to boost exports and establish itself as a critical node in international commerce. As an archipelago consisting of more than 17,000 islands, domestic shipping is equally vital in facilitating the equitable distribution of goods and commodities, while connecting local communities with income growth opportunities. For instance, the Port of Tanjung Perak, where Meratus is headquartered, is Indonesia’s second busiest port. Due to its location, the port has become the center of inter-island shipping in Eastern Indonesia.

 

A key player in the regional shipping industry, Meratus operates more than 40 agency networks, two container terminals, more than 20 container logistic centers, and more than 65 vessels, which help deliver point-to-point and network transportation services along 35 international and domestic shipping routes.

 

To strengthen its leadership position, Meratus has migrated its digital real estate from on-premises data centers onto Google Cloud’s scalable, secure, and carbon-neutral infrastructure. It also uses Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE) to automate application deployment and Google Cloud’s Apigee application programming interface (API) management platform to break down internal data silos.

 

As a result, Meratus’ services are now accessible to customers via a single application interface. This includes the ability to view the latest vessel schedules, book a shipment, be notified once the order is confirmed, and track the cargo’s location when the vessel is out at sea. With GKE reducing the need for manual backend IT configurations, Meratus’ technology teams can redeploy their time and resources toward developing new super app features that add value to customers.

 

Farid Belbouab, CEO of PT Meratus Line, said: “We recognize our industry’s essential role in supporting the government’s ‘Making Indonesia 4.0’ initiative and ‘Proud of Indonesia-made Products Movement,’ to drive economic development and uplift local livelihoods. Our choice of Google Cloud as our primary cloud provider affirms our commitment to delivering the future of integrated maritime logistics. We will not blank sail any aspect of this voyage. Google Cloud’s open data cloud empowers our staff to develop a super app with greater speed and agility. As we expand our logistics distribution services across the archipelago and beyond, we will continue working with Google Cloud and Metrodata to optimize our business processes and deliver integrated world-class customer experiences.”

 

With its modernized databases running seamlessly on Google Cloud infrastructure, Meratus is turning to pre-trained Vision AI and machine learning (ML) models for computer vision, language, and structured data on Google Cloud’s Vertex AI platform. Given that they no longer need to build ML frameworks from scratch, Meratus’ technology teams can now accelerate the development timeline of demand forecasting, dynamic pricing, and predictive maintenance tools.

 

These AI-powered tools will provide Meratus’ operations teams with granular, real-time visibility into the supply and demand for different types of vessels and shipping containers, thereby helping them to match the right resources to the suitable types of shipment while maximizing vessel space and cargo capacity. With Vision AI identifying patterns from sensor data that indicate changes in equipment condition – specifically degradation or wear and tear, staff can then determine the remaining value of logistics assets and preempt when a machine or component needs to be replaced. This leads to reduced equipment downtime, reduced maintenance costs, operational effectiveness, and safety improvements.

 

Megawaty Khie, Country Director, Indonesia and Malaysia, Google Cloud, said: “Our work with Meratus is a strong demonstration of how our open data cloud can help regional players acquire the agility that’s needed to quickly launch new applications, infuse AI into day-to-day operations, and achieve business differentiation. Together with our partner Metrodata, we look forward to expanding our collaboration with Meratus, especially as the company continuously enhances its super app to better serve customers, advances its sustainability objectives with cloud technology, and contributes to our country’s ambitions to become an international transshipment and integrated maritime logistics hub.”

 

Susanto Djaja, President Director, PT Metrodata Electronics Tbk, said: “Meratus has been a pioneer in many areas, from being the first local shipping company to operate a dedicated container liner service to initiating the Archipelago Connectivity Project and launching international shipping routes to new destinations. As Indonesia’s largest information and communications technology solutions provider, we are proud to be supporting Meratus’ digitalization journey and its efforts to build Indonesia’s first maritime logistics super app. By implementing Google Cloud’s cutting-edge technologies at scale, Meratus is poised to take customer-centricity to the next level and strengthen its industry leadership position.”

About PT Meratus Line

Meratus is committed to digitally transforming the shipping and logistics sector. With over 65 years of experience in the shipping, logistics, and port industries, Meratus has been instrumental in connecting Indonesia, the world's largest archipelago, through more than 35 routes. At Meratus, safety, quality, and customer needs are top priorities, and the company is focused on incorporating digital solutions to enhance its offerings. Over the years, Meratus has expanded its services in Southeast Asia to include not only maritime offerings, but also end-to-end logistics solutions on land, all powered by the latest technology.

About Google Cloud

Google Cloud accelerates every organization’s ability to digitally transform its business. We deliver enterprise-grade solutions that leverage Google’s cutting-edge technology – all on the cleanest cloud in the industry. Customers in more than 200 countries and territories turn to Google Cloud as their trusted partner to enable growth and solve their most critical business problems.

About PT Metrodata Electronics Tbk

PT Metrodata Electronics Tbk, a publicly listed company on the Indonesian Stock Exchange since 1990 (IDX: MTDL), is a leading provider of solutions and consulting services, as well as the distribution of information and communication technology (ICT) and digital products and services in Indonesia – in partnership with world-class ICT companies.

The company’s core business includes its Digital Distribution Business (providing world-class ICT hardware and software), which covers distribution to dealers and ICT solutions companies, and e-commerce. Its distribution network spans more than 150 cities across Indonesia, with more than 5,200 channel partners providing world-class IT products and services from more than 100 brands.

Another core business is the company’s Digital Solutions and Consulting Business (as a digital solution provider that helps companies achieve digital transformation), which provides complete ICT solutions based on Metrodata's eight pillars of digital solutions: Cloud Services, Big Data and Analytics, Hybrid IT Infrastructure, Security, Business Applications, Digital Business Platforms, Consulting and Advisory Services, and Managed Services.