Gov’t Checks Sea Transportation Safety Ahead of Christmas, New Year Holidays

Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi inspects Tanjung Emas port in Semarang, Friday (7/12). (Photo by: Ministry of Transportation).

Ahead of Christmas and New Year Holidays, Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi ordered vessels transportation stakeholders to prioritize safety measures by checking the feasibility of vessels and ensuring the crew are in good health.

“Regarding transportation ahead of Christmas, there will be many passengers going to Eastern Indonesia such as Papua, North Sulawesi, Maluku, and NTT,” Minister of Transportation said while inspecting the Port of Tanjung Emas in Semarang on Friday (7/12).

In his inspection, Budi told officers at the port to obey safety procedures and do not permit incapable vessels to sail. He also ordered them to provide life jackets in accordance with the vessels’ passenger capacity and to have a clear and accurate passenger manifest.

On the occasion, the Minister also praised the management of Tanjung Emas port and asked to implement the improvements made by this Port in other public ports.

“There are X-Ray machines; the passengers who want to board must show their tickets; there are also vending machines; and the manifest is double checked,” the Minister said, adding that he will make the Kali Adem Port in Jakarta to be a pilot project to follow Tanjung Emas port’s example.

Budi believes that in the future, vessels can be an alternative transportation for people. “If people are comfortable with the port facilities, it will certainly increase the interest of the people traveling by sea,” he said.

Based on data of the Ministry’s Directorate General of Sea Transportation, sea transportation users on Christmas and New Year holidays are predicted to increase by 3.49 percent from 1,039,793 passengers last year to 1,077,357 passengers.

The surge of sea transportation’s passengers during Christmas and New Year is predicted to occur in three periods, namely on 22 December 2018, 29 December 2018, and 2 January 2019. To anticipate the surge, a fleet of 1,293 ships with a total capacity of 3,415,838 passengers has been prepared, consisting of 1,049 short-distance private passenger vessels, 74 long-distance private passenger vessels, 26 roll-on roll-off (RoRo) private passenger vessels, 118 pioneer vessels, and 26 vessels from state-owned ship operator PT Pelayaran Nasional Indonesia (Pelni).

To improve service and to ensure safety as well as security aspects, Christmas and New Year Sea Transportation Command Post which will operate since 18 December 2018 to 8 January 2019 will be consisted of  various parties such as the Indonesian National Police (Polri), the Indonesian National Defense Forces (TNI), vessels operators, and regional governments. (BKIP Kemenhub/EN)

Translated by: Galuh Wicaksono
Edited by: Mia Medyana