Most Merak ferries fail safety standards<\/p>\n
Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang<\/p>\n
More than half the ferries sailing from Merak port in West Java
\nto Sumatra island fail international safety standards.<\/p>\n
Taufik Handriawan, chief of the Merak branch of PT ASDP, which
\noperates river, lake and sea ferry transportation, said that 14
\nof the 24 ferries were made in 1970 and no longer met
\nInternational Maritime Organization (IMO) safety standards.<\/p>\n
\"PT ASDP has requested the government replace the old ferries
\nwith new ones but ... it has yet to respond,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The comments follow an investigation by the Banten provincial
\ntransportation and communication agency, which found that a ferry
\nthat broke down in Sunda Strait late Wednesday was cased by
\ndiesel fuel mixing with water.<\/p>\n
The agency chief, Turmudzi, told The Jakarta Post on Friday
\nthat it would impose sanctions on ferry operator PT SP and the
\nship's captain, Abdullah Ali, for being careless in maintaining
\nthe ferry.<\/p>\n
He said the case was being sent to the Ministry of
\nTransportation for further investigation.<\/p>\n
The Nusa Setia left Merak port for Bakauheni on Wednesday at
\n10:30 p.m. with 270 passengers and 70 vehicles on board. However,
\nit broke down and left passengers stranded for four hours.<\/p>\n
The ferry was towed and arrived back at Merak port at 4 a.m.
\non Thursday.<\/p>\n
However, a broken cargo door meant the vehicles could not be
\nunloaded for a further seven hours.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/most-merak-ferries-fail-safety-standards-1447893297",
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