Cilincing Fishermen's Dock Mouth Shallow, Ships Frequently Run Aground

JAKARTA — Several fishermen at Cilincing Fishermen’s Dock in North Jakarta are complaining about the shallowing of the dock mouth in front of the harbour basin. This condition is disrupting ship traffic, posing risks of grounding, and even children can be seen standing on the seabed while swimming in the area. Kompas.com observations at the site on Friday (10/4/2026) showed several shellfish fishing boats moving back and forth in the mouth. On the side of the shipping lane, several children were seen swimming. In another part, a concrete structure and construction platform were visible in the middle of the sea. Next to it was a long mound of earth extending towards the water. On top of the mound, reclamation activities were underway with one excavator unit and transport trucks moving back and forth. Bobby (45), one of the fishermen at the dock, said the mouth in front of the harbour basin has experienced quite significant shallowing. “Even children can stand while swimming. So it sticks directly, it sticks directly to the sand or earth from the reclamation. Fishermen’s traffic is very hampered,” he said when met by Kompas.com at the location on Friday. According to Bobby, the shallowing is due to several factors, starting from bad weather that washes away shellfish waste to sea reclamation activities located right in front of the harbour basin entrance. Another fisherman, Hadi (not his real name), said the shallowing of the mouth causes fishing boats to frequently ground, especially during low tide. “Ships ground, it’s scary. If returning a bit late in the afternoon, it grounds,” he told Kompas.com on Friday. In addition, the reclamation activity in front of the harbour basin forces ships to make sharp turns when exiting towards the open sea. “The propeller breaks, the turn often grounds here, grounds in the mouth,” he said. Seeing this condition, Hadi hopes the mouth in front of the harbour basin can be dredged soon so that fishermen’s activities can run smoothly again. “We want it dredged, if possible, please help,” he added.