Cirebon wants international standard seaport
Cirebon wants international standard seaport
Nana Rukmana, The Jakarta Post, Cirebon
The town of Cirebon in West Java is considering plans to build an
international-standard port to boost the local economy and reduce
the area's dependence on Tanjung Priok Port in Jakarta.
Cirebon Regent Dedi Supardi said the lack of a port in West
Java forced businesses to pay extra for sea transportation
services through Tanjung Priok.
He said the construction of an international-standard port
should be one of the main priority's for the West Java provincial
administration if it hoped to spur economic development.
"In our opinion, West Java should have its own international-
standard port and Cirebon is the right place to construct the
port," Dedi said.
He said that based on a preliminary study, it would cost at
least Rp 6 trillion (US$600 million) to build a port. Apart from
constructing the port and its supporting facilities, that amount
includes the money needed to compensate residents for their land.
He said the money would come from the Cirebon regency and West
Java provincial budgets, as well as from private investors.
"We will also make a proposal to the central government for
assistance from the state budget," Dedi said, without providing
details on when construction might be expected to begin.
He said an international-standard port would help boost the
provincial economy by supporting the development of industrial
areas. It would also help in the development of the marine
industry and improve the welfare of fishermen.
"Cirebon regency covers 990,36 square kilometers and has a
coastline that stretches for 54 kilometers, one of the longest in
the province. At least 60,000 fishermen and their families live
along the coast," Dedi said.
According to the preliminary plan, the port would be built in
the coastal area of Astanajapura, he said, adding that the
current port in Cirebon could no longer be expanded.
"Geographically, the port in Cirebon city can not be further
developed because it is surrounded by residential areas. Also,
the high sedimentation level makes the water too shallow for big
ships to dock," he said.