Gov’t to Build Floating Docks in Five Areas to Boost Connectivity

One of floating docks in Indonesia (Photo by: PR of Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries)

Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries has announced that it will build floating docks to improve inter-island and inter-regional connectivity in five areas in Indonesia, including Probolinggo regency, Tojo Una-Una regency, Bima city, Sinjai Regency, and Indragiri Hilir regency.

“The construction of floating docks is the answer to the country’s infrastructure needs in coastal areas, small islands, and outer islands. It aims to improve accessibility and boost community economy there. In addition, it also aims to encourage people empowerment, increase community participation and capacity in managing coastal areas and small islands,” said the Ministry’s Acting Director General of Marine Spatial Management Hendra Yusran Siry.

The construction consists of three main components, namely the dock, a gangway that joins the sore and the dock, and the structure of the dock made of high-density polyethylene / low-density polyethylene (HPDE / LDPE).

Furthermore, Hendra said that the transportation used by people in coastal areas, small islands, and outer islands for daily activities is 5-GT small wooden boats or canoes so that it is not appropriate to build docks with concrete or wood construction, adding that, it will be difficult for communities to load and unload goods and to pick up and set down passengers.

Echoing the same sentiment, the Ministry’s Director of Coastal and Small Islands Utilization Muhammad Yusuf said that the construction assistance is for those areas which already have a Regional Regulation on Zoning Plan for Coastal Areas and Small Islands.

For the record, during the period of 2015-2019, Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries distributed construction assistance for floating docks in 25 coastal areas and small islands all over Indonesia.

In order to support connectivity between small islands, Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Sakti Wahyu Trenggono put emphasis on the determination of marine and fishery logistics corridor, namely to realize a regional development model and equitable development. (PR of Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries/UN) (AP/MUR)