Jokowi Recalls Indonesia's Maritime Potential
22 May 2015 21:36 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Surabaya - President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo inaugurated the revitalization of the Surabaya Western Access Channel and Teluk Lamong Terminal at Surabya Tanjung Perak Port on Friday, May 22, 2015.
"We have forgotten and I need to remind that two-third of Indonesian regions are water," Jokowi spoke before the audience, calling on regional heads and the people to pay attention on Indonesian maritime affairs.
Jokowi emphasized that the sea toll program will synergize ports starting from the smallest to the largest. Jokowi added that other ports were making some improvements. Jokowi claimed that the Kuala Tanjung port in Belawan, North Sumatera, could be as large as Teluk Lamong.
"We will also conduct groundbreaking in Makassar today and at Sorong port in July or August. The facilities will be integrated," Jokowi added.
Jokowi hoped that the integration of Indonesian ports would reduce transportation and logistics cost. Jokowi calculated that such costs could have been lowered by one-third or 50 percent of the original cost.
Teluk Lamong Terminal was claimed as the first green terminal and the most sophisticated in Indonesia. By employing automatic operation system and being environmentally friendly, almost all of machines are is powered by electricity and gas.
"Only a few machines are fueled by oil, based on the EURO 4 standards" said Djarwo Surjanto, President Director of port management company PT Pelabuhan Indonesia III.
ARTIKA RACHMI FARMITA
