The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Mon, 01/24/2011
Many of the nation’s harbors, especially in Bengkulu and Central Kalimantan, have silted up, a state port operator says.
PT Pelindo III director Dharwo Surjanto told a hearing of the House of Representatives’ Commission VI overseeing transportation on Monday that 11 of 43 harbors under its management had silted up.
He said the harbors had not been dredged for a long time. The worst case was in Bengkulu’s port which has not been dredged since 2001, tempointeraktif.com reported.
PT Pelindo II director RJ Lino said he repeatedly asked the government to dredge the harbors under his management, but to no avail. He said harbors should be dredged once every two or three years.
Due to silt, ships often arrive late, which affects and the loading and uploading activities.
PT Pelindo II manages 12 ports in 10 western provinces: Jakarta, Banten, West Java, West Sumatra, Jambi, Bengkulu, Lampung, Bangka Belitung, and West Kalimantan.
PT Pelindo III manages 40 ports in seven provinces: Central Java, East Java, South Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, Bali, West Nusa Tenggara and East Nusa Tenggara.
Harbors under the management of Pelindo I and Pelindo IV are in better condition because the companies had dredged the harbors by themselves even though it was actually the government’s obligation.
PT Pelindo I’s working area includes Aceh, North Sumatra and Riau; while PT Pelindo IV operates in East Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Maluku and Papua.
