Waves disrupt sea transport

KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara: High waves have virtually crippled shipping between Kupang and Larantuka, Ende and Rote over the past three weeks, officials said yesterday.

Shipping companies have grounded their smaller ferries indefinitely due to the very bad weather, a spokesman for the Kupang port, Untung Widodo, told Antara.

"The waves are unusually high and we don't want to take a risk," he said. "The Meteorology and Geophysics agency has predicted the bad weather will linger for some time."

Passengers to Larantuka, Ende and Maumere have to take the larger KM Sirimau and KM Awu ferries that do not directly serve the routes but pass by the areas.

Untung said port authorities would not allow small ferries to operate until the situation returned to normal. (pan)