RI eyes benefits from Malacca Strait<\/p>\n
Ivy Susanti, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Indonesia is eying economic benefit from managing information for
\nships passing by the Strait of Malacca through -- among other
\nscheme -- information sale, an official has said.<\/p>\n
Alam Syah Mapparessa, an official with the environment
\nministry, said that Indonesia would enhance its ship monitoring
\nsystems and navigational aids to build a marine data center to
\nserve users of the strait.<\/p>\n
For this purpose, he said that Indonesia had obtained US$1
\nmillion grant from the World Bank for the procurement and
\ninstallation of navigational equipment and a tracking system --
\nincluding a tidal station, Global Data Processing System (GDPS)
\nand Automatic Identification System (AIS).<\/p>\n
\"We believe that this system could help deter crime at sea.
\nBecause the facilities enable us to track every ship going
\nthrough the strait,\" Alam said at the end of the first day of
\nJakarta meeting on Malacca and Singapore straits here on
\nWednesday.<\/p>\n
Indonesia got more grant money than Singapore or Malaysia, he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
\"Singapore and Malaysia are more advanced in this area. To be
\nable to accomplish this project, all three of us have to be on a
\nlevel playing field. We expect that we can technically match our
\nneighbors in three years after the start of the project in 2006,\"
\nhe added.<\/p>\n
This plan will be endorsed in a memorandum of understanding
\nbetween the three littoral states bordering the vital waterway
\nand International Maritime Organization (IMO) for the
\nimplementation of the regional Marine Electronic Highway (MEH)
\npilot project in the straits.<\/p>\n
The three countries will also make other formal arrangements
\nwith the IMO, the International Hydrographic Organization and
\nnon-governmental organizations -- INTERTANKO and ICS. Both
\ndocuments were set to be signed at the end of the two-day meeting
\non Thursday.<\/p>\n
Also included in the MEH project was environmental protection
\nmeasures and plans for sustainable financing.<\/p>\n
The ship monitoring system and navigational aids would be
\ninstalled along the common waters of Malacca and Singapore
\nstraits, starting 2006.<\/p>\n
The equipment will be installed in areas that are marked by
\ntwo lighthouses; from One Phantom Bank in the waters off Port
\nKlang of Malaysia to Horse Borgh on the east side of Singapore
\nStrait.<\/p>\n
The installation is schedule to be completed in 2009.<\/p>\n
\"Upon the completion, we won't give free information to
\nStrait's users. This is an extra service. The data will cover
\nthings such as water currents, wind direction and temperatures.
\nOverall, this is a cost and recovery scheme,\" Alam said.<\/p>\n
Each year, an estimated 50,000 to 60,0000 ships pass through
\nthe Malacca and Singapore Straits.<\/p>\n
The Jakarta meeting was opened by Minister of Transportation
\nHatta Radjasa. Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda delivered a
\nkeynote speech in front of ambassadors, academics,
\nrepresentatives of international organizations, non-governmental
\norganizations and shipping companies.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ri-eyes-benefits-from-malacca-strait-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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