President Jokowi Visits Yos Sudarso Port in Maluku Province

President Jokowi pays a working visit to Yos Sudarso Port in Ambon City, Maluku, Thursday (25/3). (Photo by: Presidential Secretariat Press Bureau/Muchlis Jr)

As part of his working visit to Maluku Province, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo on Thursday (25/3) visited Yos Sudarso Port in Ambon City.

Upon his arrival at the port area at 8.40 a.m. Western Indonesia Time (WIT), the President engaged in a dialogue with local fisheries business players to find out the current condition of the fisheries sector in Maluku, Yos Sudarso Port, and other ports in the vicinity that need to be developed to support the province’s fisheries sector which has great potential and offers advantages in capture fisheries.

“This morning, I specifically came to Ambon only for one purpose that we will provide 700 hectares land to develop the Ambon New Port, which will be integrated with logistics and fishing ports as well as the fisheries industry,” the President said during a dialogue with fisheries business players.

According to the President, Ambon City in the near future will develop a new port with an integrated port concept that will become the center of the fish-processing industry and cargo consolidation from the eastern part of Indonesia. The development of this new port is pivotal, considering that the special port for fisheries has reached its maximum capacity.

“We will begin the construction this year and we hope it will be completed within two years. Therefore, I ask fisheries industry players to immediately register and join so that we are confident that the project can run,” the President said.

Since the potential of fisheries in Maluku has not well developed, the President is of the opinion that it is necessary to build a facility needed by local fisheries business players in order to boost greater fisheries production.

On that occasion, the Head of State reiterated that the planning and implementation of the new port development should be thorough so that it can be pilot project for the development of a modern port that is integrated with fishery industry in other areas.

“Previously, President Director of state-owned seaport operator PT Pelindo spoke about fisheries potentials. There are 800 thousand tons of fish over here, 1.2 million tons of fish in the northern area, 2.6 million tons of fish in the southern area. I think the Ambon New Port is a much-needed project,” he said.

For the record, prior to his visit to Yos Sudarso Port the President inspected the progress of COVID-19 mass vaccination, with a total target of 230 vaccine recipients. The vaccination was held for officers or public workers at the port, including workers from state-owned ship operator PT Pelayaran Nasional Indonesia (Pelni), state-owned seaport operator PT Pelindo, and Port Authority and Harbormaster Office (KSOP). (BPMI/UN) (RIF/MMB)