"If the first phase of the port with a capacity of 1.5 million (TEUS) plus 250,000 vehicles is operated, it will generate a cash flow and no additional loans would be needed," he said after a limited cabinet meeting on the project at the presidential office.
President Joko Widodo and a number of concerned cabinet ministers attended the meeting.
The investment will also depend upon the exchange rate as not all port equipment could be produced at home, Jonan said.
He said President Joko Widodo had asked for negotiations with all parties to get the best in the interest of the nation.
"Construction will begin early in 2017 and it is expected to be operational in 2019. The first phase of the port will have a capacity to accommodate around 250,000 vehicles," he said.
The target of containers to be accommodated at the Patimban port is 7.5 million TEUS by 2037.
Jonan said Patimban was chosen for port development from among several options in the northern part of West Java.
He said the government needed to build an international or main port in West Java because of the presence of industrial complexes in Karawang, Cikarang, Cikampek and Purwakarta.
The government has canceled the plan to build the port in Cilamaya early in April because it is feared that the presence of the port will disrupt the tankers traffic from a number of offshore oil platforms in nearby Karawang.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2016
