Amid the 2021 Christmas and 2022 New Year holidays, the ship will serve the community in the two provinces.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Directorate General of Sea Transportation of the Transportation Ministry has completed the work to construct Motor Vessel (MV) Sabuk Nusantara 73.

Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi visited the Nusantara Pura Passenger Terminal at Tanjung Priok Port, Jakarta, on Saturday for dispatch of the ship for Saumlaki Port, Maluku Province.

"The vessel is a pioneer vehicle that will become part of the sea highway program to ensure smooth public and logistics connectivity," the minister noted here on Saturday.

The vessel will aid in easing community mobility and facilitating the distribution of logistics around the provinces of Maluku and East Nusa Tenggara.

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Sumadi affirmed that amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the ministry had continued to establish various transportation facilities and infrastructure to fulfill the visions of Indonesian President Joko Widodo to boost the people’s connectivity and to unite Indonesia.

"Amid the 2021 Christmas and 2022 New Year holidays, the ship will serve the community in the two provinces since several people often use boat to return home," he noted.

Furthermore, the minister has urged that strict health protocols be followed properly during the holidays to stem the transmission of the virus on vessels that may be causal to a surge in COVID-19 cases after the period.

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In addition to dispatching the ship, Sumadi also reviewed the COVID-19 vaccination and antigen test services at the terminal deemed crucial to ensure that strict health protocols can be implemented suitably.

On the same occasion, Director of Sea Traffic and Transportation Mugen Sartoto stated that MV Sabuk Nusantara 73 was built by the state-owned PT Dock Koja Bahari at the Tanjung Priok Port, Jakarta.

It is a GT-2000 type vessel, with a capacity of 500 people, which will be operated by operator PT Mandala Sejahtera Abadi. The ship will be based at the Saumlaki Port, Maluku Province, to connect people in the eastern region of Indonesia.

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Translator: Adimas Fahky, Uyu Liman
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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