Seafood from Eastern Indonesia: Untapped Export Potential

A survival-first, route-and-pack plan to move Papua live mud crab from Sorong or Jayapura via Jakarta to Singapore or Hong Kong with >95% arrival alive. Exact loading densities, temperature and moisture targets, airline checklists, CGK transit tactics, and a simple DOA tracking workflow you can run this month.

If you want the short version, here it is. We went from double-digit DOA to 97–99% arrivals on Papua mud crab in under 90 days by treating the route, the box, and the crab’s metabolism as one system. The most common failure isn’t “bad crab.” It’s time, heat and water.

Below is the exact survival-first plan we use when we move Scylla serrata from Sorong or Jayapura, through CGK, into Singapore or Hong Kong.

The 3 pillars of reliable Papua live mud crab export

Origin discipline. Harvest before heat, grade hard-shell only, fast 24 hours in clean water, tie claws, then pre-chill crabs and the packaging. We never pack wet. We remove free water. That alone stops drowning and slashing DOA.
Routing control. We plan SOQ/DJJ → CGK → SIN/HKG like a single flight. That means guaranteed space, short connections at CGK, and night arrivals. We pre-alert cargo to keep boxes in cool rooms, not on the tarmac.
Box engineering. We run conservative densities, controlled humidity, and gentle cooling. The target in-box air is 16–20°C with 85–95% humidity. No loose ice. No stagnant water. Vent holes up top.

This triad is boring compared to “new tech,” but it’s what pushes survival over 95% on real shipments.

Week 1–2: Research and validation (routes, rules, paperwork)

Here’s the thing. You can’t fix packing on the ramp. Lock down the route first.

What is the safest routing from Sorong or Jayapura to get live mud crab to Singapore?

Our safest patterns right now:

Sorong (SOQ) → Jakarta (CGK) → Singapore (SIN). Target an early SOQ departure, midday CGK arrival, then an evening CGK→SIN sector. Total door-to-door 14–20 hours.
Jayapura (DJJ) → CGK → Hong Kong (HKG). Aim DJJ pre-dawn, CGK midday, HKG red-eye landing before morning distribution. Door-to-door 18–26 hours.

Why these windows? Papua’s heat is worst mid-day. We lift early so the crabs start cool. We prefer CGK connections under 6 hours and total transit under 24. For HKG, night landings mean cooler last-mile.

Which Indonesian airlines accept live crab and what special handling do they require?

Acceptance shifts, so we always reconfirm with cargo sales at booking. Recently we’ve moved live crustaceans on Garuda Indonesia and, on some lanes, Lion/Batik group domestically with pre-approval. Internationally, carriers ex-CGK to SIN and HKG vary in live seafood acceptance. Your checklist to ask any airline cargo desk:

Do you accept live aquatic animals as dry shipment in insulated foam boxes? Reference IATA LAR for crustaceans.
Can you stow in a cool room pre-load and avoid heated holds or hot tarmac staging?
What’s the maximum piece weight and dimensions for hand-load? We cap at 18–20 kg gross per 30 L box to reduce crush and mis-handling.
Will you honor “Do Not Freeze / Keep Cool 16–20°C / Live Animals” markings and top-load only?

We also request paper or electronic priority handling and advise “short connection” in CGK.

What documents are required to export live mud crab from Papua?

Documents can be straightforward if you plan the sequence:

BKIPM Health Certificate for live aquatic animals. Issued at origin BKIPM office (Sorong or Jayapura) for inter-provincial movement, with coordination for export at CGK. We pre-alert BKIPM CGK for re-inspection/reseal if needed.
Commercial invoice and packing list with species name (Scylla serrata), size grades and box counts.
Air waybill. Mark as Live Aquatic Animals, with handling temperature notes.
Certificate of Origin (as required by buyer/tariff). Your local Chamber handles this.

Scylla serrata isn’t CITES-listed, but some destinations add import permits or health declarations. We always have buyers pre-clear with their authorities to avoid ground holds.

Practical takeaway: lock a route with airline acceptance in writing. Pre-alert BKIPM at origin and CGK. Draft the AWB remarks now, not at tender.

Week 3–6: MVP shipment — box, density and temperature

Your first 200–300 kg pilot should prove three things: your chosen route timeline, your in-box temperature curve, and your DOA baseline.

How many crabs should I pack per foam box for 500–800 g sizes?

For 30 L foam boxes on Papua routes with a CGK connection, we run conservative loads:

500–600 g: 12–14 crabs per box. That’s about 6.5–8.5 kg net.
600–800 g: 8–10 crabs per box. Roughly 5.5–7.5 kg net.

Could you push to 16 pieces of 500 g for a short SOQ→SIN direct? Maybe. But the minute you add CGK and ground time, heat builds and stress compounds. In our experience, less is more. We’d rather land 97% alive at a slightly higher freight/unit than 85% and argue credits.

What box temperature and moisture level keep mud crab alive during flights?

Targets that work for us:

In-box air: 16–20°C. Avoid below 14°C. Cold shock triggers mortality on the last leg. Above 24°C, metabolic rate spikes and oxygen demand outruns your ventilation.
Humidity: 85–95%. Damp, not wet. We mist the bedding with seawater and never let free water pool.

We pre-chill crabs at 18–20°C for 2–3 hours after fasting, and we pre-cool foam boxes in a cold room to about 18°C before loading.

How do I stop live mud crab from drowning or fighting in transit?

Three non-obvious tricks we rely on:

No free water. After the purge, hold crabs 60–90 minutes on slatted trays to drain. Line the box with a damp towel plus coarse wood shavings or coconut fiber. Too-fine sawdust clogs gills, so go coarser if you can.
Separate layers. Use cardboard grids or bamboo splits between single layers, belly down, all facing the same direction. Claws tied firmly. We never stack more than two layers in 30 L boxes.
Coolant barriers. If you use gel packs, never let them touch the crab. We place gel packs on the lid with a cardboard barrier. We don’t use loose ice. Meltwater kills.

Ventilation: eight to twelve 8–10 mm holes on the top sides. Not on the bottom where water could leak out onto aircraft flooring.

Best packing method for live mud crab air freight

Our standard 30 L build:

Bottom: thin plastic liner to protect foam, then absorbent pad, then a thin layer of coarse wood shavings dampened with seawater.
Layer 1: 6–7 crabs, belly down, claws forward, tied. Cover with damp cloth.
Divider: corrugated board with small holes.
Layer 2: 6–7 crabs. Cover with damp cloth, then a final breathable paper.
Gel packs on the lid with a cardboard barrier. Close lid tape-lightly to allow micro venting, then into a snug corrugated master.

Gross weight: 18–20 kg. Mark: “Live Aquatic Animals. This Way Up. Do Not Freeze. Keep Cool 16–20°C.”

Practical takeaway: run a pilot with a data logger in one box. You’ll see where heat spikes (it’s usually on the apron at CGK). Fix that with tighter handover and cool-room holds, not more ice.

Week 7–12: Scale and optimize

Once you’ve proven the route and box, scale to 1–2 tons weekly with redundant options.

Booking rhythm. Secure space 5–7 days ahead. We prefer evening CGK departures to HKG/SIN and avoid Friday peaks.
CGK transit. Target sub-6-hour connections. Ask for cool-room storage between flights and late build-up to minimize apron time.
Box weights. Keep gross under 20 kg for easier top-loading and fewer drops. It also helps airlines honor “top load only.”
DOA tracking. Record box ID, size grade, route, ambient temps at each leg, arrival alive/dead/weak. Review weekly.

What DOA percentage is realistic on a first test shipment and how do I improve it?

First pilot: 5–8% DOA is common while you tune density and handovers.
After three consistent runs: 2–4% DOA is reachable on Papua→CGK→SIN, and 3–5% on Papua→CGK→HKG.

If you’re stuck above 8%, look at three levers: shorten CGK ground time, reduce box density by two crabs, and improve pre-chill. In our experience, those three fix 80% of chronic DOA.

The 5 biggest mistakes that kill shipments

Packing wet. Any free water equals drown risk and bacterial bloom.
Over-densities in 30 L boxes. Heat builds faster than you think.
Midday lifts from Papua. Start cool, arrive cool.
Gel packs in direct contact. Cold shock is as deadly as heat.
Skipping the fast. Even 12 hours without feed helps. We aim for 24 hours with clean, aerated water.

Resources and next steps

A simple DOA sheet we use for every lot:

Columns: Shipment date, Origin, Route, Airline, Box ID, Size grade, Box net weight, Data-logger max/min temp, Alive, Weak, Dead, DOA %, Notes.
Review: Every Monday we rank boxes by DOA and correlate with route, density and max temp. That’s how we systematically push survival toward 99%.

Need help tailoring the route and box spec to your exact SOQ/DJJ lift and CGK connection? Send your planned flight numbers and desired delivery time, and we’ll share our current airline checklist plus a fillable DOA sheet. If it’s urgent, just Contact us on whatsapp and we’ll map a low-risk pilot.

One last thought on “untapped potential.” Live mud crab is Eastern Indonesia’s headline, but we also balance cargo and seasonality with stable IQF reef fish from the same supply base. If you’re building mixed programs, our Grouper Fillet (IQF) and Goldband Snapper Fillet ship reliably year-round and complement live-crab cycles. You can explore more options here: View our products.

In our experience, you’ll win this lane by being boringly consistent. Control time. Control temperature. Control water. Do those three and Papua stops being “hard” and starts being a competitive advantage.