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.