Batam's ferry operators back on job<\/p>\n
Fadli, The Jakarta Post\/Batam<\/p>\n
Some 100 ferries operating in the Riau Islands resumed operations
\non Friday after being halted by a strike a day earlier.<\/p>\n
The ferries resumed services after state oil and gas company
\nPT Pertamina bowed to ferry operators' demand that they be
\nallowed to buy subsidized fuel at Pertamina's depot near the
\nSekupang and Telago Punggur ports on Batam.<\/p>\n
Pertamina had earlier told the ferry operators to purchase
\nfuel at Sambu island, several kilometers from Batam island, at
\nunsubsidized prices. The ferry operators refused because of the
\ndistance to Sambu and the price of the fuel, said Asmadi, the
\nchairman of the People's Sailing Association and the coordinator
\nof the Commercial Sailing Association at Sekupang port.<\/p>\n
He said that under the new deal, ferry operators could buy
\ndiesel fuel at the subsidized price of Rp 4,250 a liter.
\nUnsubsidized diesel fuel costs Rp 6,000 a liter.<\/p>\n
Purchasing the fuel at the Pertamina depot on Batam will also
\nbe much more convenient for the ferry operators because they will
\nnot have to obtain delivery orders before getting the fuel.<\/p>\n
\"The procedure is much more complicated if we buy fuel from
\nPertamina on Sambu island,\" said Asmadi.<\/p>\n
As the ferries resumed their operations, traffic at the
\nSekupang and Telago Punggur ports returned to normal. The ports
\nwere busy on Friday as people traveled between Batam and the
\nsurrounding islands.<\/p>\n
A spokesman for Pertamina in Batam, Sri Sudarso, said the
\ncompany bowed to the ferry operators' demand in order to help
\ntraffic at the ports return to normal.<\/p>\n
The spokesman also said the company had asked the Batam
\nTransportation Office to oversee the fuel purchases in order to
\nprevent any fuel hoarding.<\/p>\n
Demand for diesel fuel in Batam reaches about 800 tons a
\nmonth.<\/p>",
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