KKP opens collaboration to provide SPBUN at Kampung Nelayan Merah Putih

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) has opened collaboration with cooperatives and private sector players to provide a Fishermen’s Public Fuel Filling Station (SPBUN) at Kampung Nelayan Merah Putih (KNMP), including Bumiharjo Village, Jepara Regency, Central Java. Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Sakti Wahyu Trenggono, while visiting KNMP Bumiharjo on Friday, said the SPBUN facility is an important addition to the fisheries infrastructure already available at KNMP Bumiharjo, such as the slurry ice plant, cold storage, fishing landing shelter and fishermen’s workshop. He stated that access to fuel close to the hub of upstream fishing activity will be the key to reducing fishers’ operating costs. “If cooperatives are willing, let us push for the SPBUN, and if private sector parties are interested, please proceed,” Trenggono said in a ministry press release received in Jakarta. He emphasised that KKP is opening up space for broad collaboration so that SPBUN development can be realised as soon as possible. With this facility, he noted that fishermen will no longer need to travel long distances to obtain fuel, making the time at sea more efficient and operating costs lighter. KKP notes that Bumiharjo Village currently has around 250 active fishermen with traditional boats of 5–10 GT. The main catch commodities include high-value fish such as layur and tongkol. This potential is considered large enough to support the development of the KNMP area while strengthening Jepara’s contribution to national fisheries production. During the visit, Trenggono also inspected the fishermen’s workshop facilities which will be equipped with a machine to haul boats ashore so that fishermen do not need to push boats manually during repairs. In addition, the use of slurry ice technology is a focus of KKP to maintain fish quality and keep it fresh, so the value of Jepara’s fisheries commodities can rise in wider markets. “The hope is that fishermen will be more prosperous. The fish from here will be of good quality and healthy through the use of adequate supporting equipment,” said Trenggono.