Ninja Van taps Indonesian airline for inter-island delivery

Singapore-based Ninja Van is bolstering its package delivery capabilities in Indonesia by teaming up with local carrier Trigana Air.

Under the partnership, a Boeing 737-300 plane with a capacity of up to 15.5 tons willl deliver packages from Jakarta – the Indonesian capital located on Java island – to Sulawesi, Kalimantan, and Sumatra. It has been operating daily since December 11.

In a statement, Ninja Van said that it may add more planes if demand from outside Java increases. For package deliveries within the island, the company will still use trucking vehicles.

Founded in 2014, Ninja Van operates in Singapore, Indonesia, Myanmar, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines. It  also offers Logistics+, a supply chain management solution aimed at SMEs that includes procurement, payment, financing, fulfillment, and distribution services.

In 2021, the company raised US$578 million in a series E round from Alibaba Group, V Capital Group, and Monk’s Hill Ventures, among others. The deal reportedly pushed Ninja Van’s valuation into unicorn territory.

See also: Ninja Van nearly doubles revenue in FYE 2021, while reducing losses

The firm posted US$638.8 million in revenue for the financial year ending June 30, 2021, nearly doubling what it made during the previous year. Its losses stood at US$72.4 million, narrowing by 15% from US$85.3 million in 2020.