Indonesian Seafood MOQ & Lead Times: 2025 Buyer Guide

A practical playbook for meeting supplier MOQs via mixed-SKU reefer consolidation from multiple Indonesian plants, without blowing out your 2025 timelines. Real carton math, pallet plans, workflows, and a realistic PO-to-ETD schedule.

We have seen buyers go from no feasible plan to a full 40 foot reefer in two weeks by using a disciplined consolidation system. The difference was not price. It was carton math, lead time control, and one exporter-of-record running the paperwork. Here is the exact playbook we use and teach.

The 3 pillars of hitting MOQs without delays

Start with container math. Work backward from the box, not the product list. A 40 foot high-cube reefer will take about 24 to 27 metric tons when floor loaded. That is roughly 2,400 to 2,800 cartons of 10 kg. If palletized, expect 20 to 22 pallets at 0.8 to 1.0 MT each. Plan your SKU split against that capacity before you negotiate MOQs.
Minimize changeovers. Indonesian seafood factories often set MOQs to protect line time. In our experience, mixed-SKU containers work best when you cap the run to 3 to 5 SKUs per plant and align specs. For example, keep portion sizes at 125 g across species so lines and packaging changeovers are faster.
Use one exporter-of-record. Multi-factory consolidation only moves on schedule when one entity handles the PEB and NPE through Indonesia’s customs window. The exporter-of-record compiles all invoices, packing lists, and the BKIPM health certificate appointments. Without this, you end up with multiple PEBs and you cannot legally mix them in one container.

Practical takeaway. Do a quick pre-PO carton plan, pick your leading SKUs, and confirm exporter-of-record responsibilities before you talk delivery dates.

Weeks 1 to 2. Validate your mixed-SKU plan

Lock the spec and pack. Standardize carton dimensions if possible. A typical 10 kg master carton around 50 x 30 x 15 cm stacks efficiently across plants. Confirm glazing percentages in writing. It affects net weight and therefore container count.
Temperature setpoint. Mixed shrimp, tuna, and squid are fine in one reefer at minus 20 C. We set to minus 20 C for mixed-SKU frozen seafood. If any line item requires warmer, do not mix it.
Choose the hub. Surabaya consolidation is faster for demersal species and Eastern Indonesia supply. Jakarta works well for tuna and shrimp from West Java, Banten, and Sumatra. Both are viable. The difference is lead time and truck routing.
Draft the SKU load plan. Example for a 40 foot reefer, floor loaded at 25 MT. 1) 900 cartons Grouper Fillet (IQF), 2) 700 cartons Mahi Mahi Fillet, 3) 400 cartons Yellowfin Saku (Sushi Grade), 4) 300 cartons Loligo Squid (Whole Cleaned). You are at 2,300 cartons. Use the remaining 200 to 400 cartons for a trial SKU like Grouper Bites (Portion Cut) or a seasonal item.

Need a quick sense check on a draft plan. You can Contact us on whatsapp. We will tell you within a day if your carton math and timeline are realistic.

Weeks 3 to 6. Production and consolidation workflow

Here is a realistic PO to ETD path we run in 18 to 28 days.

Days 0 to 3. PO, raw allocation, label approvals. Vessel window penciled in and space request placed.
Days 4 to 12. Production at each plant. We prefer to run 2 to 3 SKUs per plant. It keeps MOQs manageable. For example, Red Snapper Portion (WGGS / Fillet) plus a single tuna spec at the tuna plant.
Days 10 to 15. BKIPM sampling and HC scheduling. Micro results and organoleptic checks complete. Any retest buffers are planned here.
Days 12 to 18. Trucking to hub cold store. East Java to Surabaya is 2 to 6 hours. Bali to Surabaya is 10 to 14 hours. Central Java to Jakarta is 6 to 12 hours. Lampung to Jakarta is 6 to 10 hours. We book trucks to arrive in a two day window to keep consolidation tight.
Days 14 to 20. Cold storage consolidation. Surabaya typically adds 3 to 5 working days. Jakarta typically adds 4 to 7 working days. Add 2 to 3 days if cross island shipments are involved.
Days 18 to 22. Docs finalization. One commercial invoice and one master packing list by the exporter-of-record. PEB filed. NPE released.
Days 21 to 25. Container pre-trip inspection, empty pick up, stuffing, and CY in-gate. CY cut is often 24 to 48 hours before ETD for reefers. Confirm early.

Takeaway. You can beat 28 days if raw is available and you keep SKUs tight. Extra testing, cross island trucking, or late space bookings add days quickly.

Can I combine shrimp, tuna, and squid from different factories in one reefer and still meet each MOQ?

Yes. We do this regularly as mixed-SKU seafood containers. The rules are simple. One exporter-of-record handles all paperwork and PEB. Keep all frozen items at minus 20 C. Secure each factory’s MOQ, which for Indonesia is commonly 1 to 2 MT per SKU for fillets and cephalopods, 1 MT for WGGS fish, and 2 to 5 MT for shrimp depending on size and process. If one SKU cannot meet MOQ, rebalance the mix or combine near-spec SKUs into a single production run.

How much extra lead time does consolidation add in Indonesia?

Surabaya cold storage consolidation. Expect 3 to 5 working days once all cargo is at the hub.
Jakarta consolidation. Expect 4 to 7 working days. Jakarta yards are busy and documents sometimes take an extra day.
Cross island adds 2 to 5 days of variance, mostly from trucking and ferry timing.

What is the typical minimum per SKU factories require?

Our benchmarks for 2025 planning. Fillets and portions like Sweetlip Fillet (IQF) run at 1 to 2 MT per SKU. Tuna steaks or saku 1 MT per grade. WGGS fish 1 MT. Shrimp lines often want 2 to 5 MT per size and spec. Plants also think in pallets. Assume 1 pallet per SKU minimum, preferably 2. A pallet usually carries 0.8 to 1.0 MT of 10 kg cartons.

Is LCL ever viable for frozen seafood from Indonesia?

Rarely. Reefer LCL adds 10 to 21 days, increases handling risk, and complicates temperature control at transshipment hubs. If you must trial, consider a 20 foot reefer with 10 to 13 MT or work with a consolidator who can combine your cartons into another buyer’s FCL. For small R&D batches under 500 kg, air freight with strict cold chain sometimes makes more sense.

Who handles the export paperwork when consolidating from multiple factories?

The exporter-of-record. They file the PEB and receive the NPE. They coordinate BKIPM inspections and health certificates that reference all lots in the shipment. Individual plants issue production certificates and QC sheets. The exporter compiles one commercial invoice and one master packing list. You cannot legally mix two exporters’ PEBs into one container.

How many 10 kg cartons fit in a 40 foot reefer and how should I split SKUs?

Floor loaded. 2,400 to 2,800 cartons. 24 to 28 MT, subject to route payload limits.
Palletized. 20 to 22 pallets. At 80 to 100 cartons per pallet that is 1,600 to 2,200 cartons. 16 to 22 MT.

Split SKUs so each factory meets MOQ and the total fits the vessel payload limit. A practical split is three primary SKUs at 6 MT each, plus two secondary SKUs at 3 MT each. This keeps each plant happy and gives you range without blowing line time.

Will Ramadan or port congestion in 2025 affect consolidation windows and sailings?

Yes. Ramadan in Indonesia is expected around March 2025 with Idul Fitri holidays at the end. Factories and ports will slow 5 to 10 days. There is also pre-holiday trucking congestion. Book space early and pull production forward by two to three weeks if your ETD is anywhere near late March or early April. We are also watching carrier schedule changes, especially on Asia to Europe services. For Asia to US West Coast and Australia routes, weekly sailings remain stable, but space tightens pre-holiday.

Three non-obvious tips we use in 2025

Align label templates across plants. You would be surprised how many consolidations slip because one SKU’s label needs a reprint at the hub. Pre-approve all art and barcode formats in Week 1.
Reserve the container early. Reefers are finite. A confirmed booking and container release number a week ahead saves you from last minute swaps that miss CY cut.
Watch net weights versus glazing. If one plant glazes at 10 percent and another at 20 percent, your MT plan can be off by hundreds of kilos. Standardize this.

Five mistakes that blow out Indonesian seafood lead times

LCL for frozen seafood. The delay and risk are rarely worth it.
Too many SKUs per plant. You lose days to changeovers.
Multiple exporters. One container needs one exporter-of-record.
Ignoring pallet height rules at destination. Your 1.8 m pallet may be rejected by a retailer who caps at 1.6 m.
Last minute health certificate bookings. BKIPM schedules fill up around holidays. Lock slots early.

Where this advice applies, and where it does not

This playbook applies to frozen seafood moving at minus 20 C on FCL reefers with multi-factory consolidation inside Indonesia. If you are shipping fresh chilled or live product, the timelines and hubs change significantly. If you must run complex certifications or catch documentation for specific markets, add documentation buffers to the plan.

If you want product ideas that slot neatly into mixed-SKU reefers, start with Grouper Fillet (IQF), Mahi Mahi Fillet, Yellowfin Saku (Sushi Grade), and Loligo Squid (Whole Cleaned). These run efficiently at Indonesian plants and hit MOQs with fewer headaches.

Questions about your route or timeline. You can Call us. We are happy to stress test a plan and give you a realistic ETD.