Minister Susi Provides Fishermen with Energy Converter Kits
16 December 2014 20:46 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry is preparing an alternative energy source for fishermen following the fuel subsidy reallocation in November 2014. The ministry’s secretary general, Sjarief Widjaja, said on Tuesday, December 16, 2014, that the government would provide 395,000 fishing boats equipped with converter kits to allow access to cheaper energy sources.
Sjarief added that the ministry would identify locations and ships that required converter kits, so that fishermen could use the 3 kg LPG canister.
Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti said fishermen could cut cost by Rp180,000 per sail by using LPG. Sjarief said the energy conversion would significantly reduce subsidized fuel consumption.
“[The fuel consumption] will decline from 2.1 million kiloliters to 900,000 kiloliters,” Sjarief said.
In addition to the provision of alternative energy, the government will also help fishermen with large fishing boats and refrigerated storage facility at fish markets to anticipate growing fishery production as illegal fishing activities are declining.
BERNADETTE CHRISTINA MUNTHE
