"The implementation of subsidies in the form of sea toll transportation, pioneers' transportation, and livestock transportation, with a total of 158 routes, is budgeted at Rp1.59 trillion," Director General of Sea Transportation Arif Toha stated at a hearing meeting with Commission V of the Indonesian House of Representatives in Jakarta, Thursday.
Toha said his side had continued to improve sea transportation connectivity in Indonesia through several programs, including the sea toll transportation program.
The budget of Rp1.59 trillion is divided into 35 sea toll routes, 117 pioneer routes, and six livestock transportation routes, Toha remarked.
He noted that until August 2022, the realization of sea toll transportation reached 13,059 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) for departing cargo and 4,679 TEUs for returning cargo.
Meanwhile, for pioneer sea transportation, the number of passengers until August 2022 was recorded at 443,685 people, while 51,614 tons of cargo/goods were served by PT Pelni on 44 routes.
As for private pioneer ships on 73 routes, the number of passengers reached 180,185 people and 797,077 tons of cargo/goods were recorded.
"In 2023, the Directorate General of Sea Transportation is committed to providing support for major projects, such as tourism, industry, Special Economic Zones (SEZ), and sea transportation services based on Indonesia-centricity," Toha stated.
According to the Government's Work Plan (RKP) in 2023, to increase productivity for inclusive and sustainable economic transformation, the Ministry of Transportation has also allocated a budget of Rp1.82 trillion for port development.
The Transportation Ministry's work program in the upcoming year for the port sector included the development of port facilities at 19 locations, completion of port facilities at five locations, replacement of port facilities at three locations, rehabilitation of port facilities at 15 locations, completing the construction of Patimban Port, and Emergency assistance loan for rehabilitation and reconstruction of the Patoloan, Donggala, and Wani ports.
"The port construction at 46 locations includes the development and completion of port facilities, with a budget of Rp1.82 trillion, in 2023 as part of the strategic plan of the Directorate General of Sea Transportation," Toha stated.
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Translator: Adimas Raditya F P, Resinta S
Editor: Sri Haryati
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