BKPM pushes Tanjung Carat to become special economic zone for downstreaming
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Investment and Downstreaming/Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) is promoting Tanjung Carat Port in South Sumatra to become a special economic zone (SEZ) focused on supporting the development of downstreaming industries.
“Tanjung Carat Port will be promoted to become a port or special economic zone for downstreaming in the future,” said Deputy Minister of Investment and Downstreaming/Deputy Head of BKPM Todotua Pasaribu in Jakarta on Wednesday.
This step is a strategic effort, given the region’s support from proximity to commodity sources, logistics infrastructure, and available energy supply.
He also explained that the development of Tanjung Carat serves as a replacement for the Tanjung Api-Api zone, whose status has been revoked.
Therefore, they are now promoting the development of the Tanjung Carat area as a centre for integrated downstreaming activities with the port and other supporting infrastructure.
“Tanjung Carat is actually a replacement for Tanjung Api-Api, because Tanjung Api-Api has been closed and its status revoked, so Tanjung Carat Port has become a national strategic project and in that area we plan to make it a special economic zone area for downstreaming,” said Todotua.
According to him, the selection of Tanjung Carat as a candidate SEZ for downstreaming is based on several strategic advantages possessed by the area, such as its location close to the commodity sources that will be processed through downstreaming activities.
“Close to commodities, the potential sources of commodities for downstreaming activities are there, and the interline port and logistics are there,” he stated.
In addition, Todotua added that the area is also supported by adequate electrical infrastructure to meet future industrial needs.
“And in this region, there is already electrical transmission and substation support from several power plants in South Sumatra. And this infrastructure is ready; we just need to package the activities at the end,” said Todotua.