JP/1/MALAKA

JP/1/MALAKA

RI eyes economic gain from Malacca Strait

Ivy Susanti
The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

Indonesia is eying economic benefit from managing information for
ships passing by the Strait of Malacca through -- among other
scheme -- information sale, an official has said.

Alam Syah Mapparessa, an official with the environment
ministry, said that Indonesia would enhance its ship monitoring
systems and navigational aids to build a marine data center to
serve users of the strait.

For this purpose, he said that Indonesia had obtained US$1
million grant from the World Bank for the procurement and
installation of navigational equipment and a tracking system --
including a tidal station, Global Data Processing System (GDPS)
and Automatic Identification System (AIS).

"We believe that this system could help deter crime at sea.
Because the facilities enable us to track every ship going
through the strait," Alam said at the end of the first day of
Jakarta meeting on Malacca and Singapore straits here on
Wednesday.

Indonesia got more grant money than Singapore or Malaysia, he
said.

"Singapore and Malaysia are more advanced in this area. To be
able to accomplish this project, all three of us have to be on a
level playing field. We expect that we can technically match our
neighbors in three years after the start of the project in 2006,"
he added.

This plan will be endorsed in a memorandum of understanding
between the three littoral states bordering the vital waterway
and International Maritime Organization (IMO) for the
implementation of the regional Marine Electronic Highway (MEH)
pilot project in the straits.

The three countries will also make other formal arrangements
with the IMO, the International Hydrographic Organization and
non-governmental organizations -- INTERTANKO and ICS. Both
documents were set to be signed at the end of the two-day meeting
on Thursday.

Also included in the MEH project was environmental protection
measures and plans for sustainable financing.

The ship monitoring system and navigational aids would be
installed along the common waters of Malacca and Singapore
straits, starting 2006.

The equipment will be installed in areas that are marked by
two lighthouses; from One Phantom Bank in the waters off Port
Klang of Malaysia to Horse Borgh on the east side of Singapore
Strait.

The installation is schedule to be completed in 2009.

"Upon the completion, we won't give free information to
Strait's users. This is an extra service. The data will cover
things such as water currents, wind direction and temperatures.
Overall, this is a cost and recovery scheme," Alam said.

Each year, an estimated 50,000 to 60,0000 ships pass through
the Malacca and Singapore Straits.

The Jakarta meeting was opened by Minister of Transportation
Hatta Radjasa. Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda delivered a
keynote speech in front of ambassadors, academics,
representatives of international organizations, non-governmental
organizations and shipping companies.