Cirebon plans inland port

JAKARTA (JP): A dry port has been proposed to be built in Cirebon to spur the economic growth of the West Java city.

Cirebon Regent, Rachmat Djoehana, said yesterday that the dry port would be constructed near the district's 1,500 hectare Kapetakan industrial estate to attract more industries to the area.

He said the key factor for the district's economic growth was Cirebon seaport but it would be costly to develop.

"The dry port development was the cheaper alternative," he said, as reported by Antara.

He said the transportation of cargoes from the would-be dry port to Tanjung Priok would be faster, especially after completion of the double track linking Cirebon and Jakarta in 1998. (bnt)