Antara News are reporting PT Pelabuhan Indonesia (Pelindo), Indonesia’s state-owned enterprise engaged in logistics, especially port management and development and currently operating 94-ports across Indonesia, will optimize the utilization of IDR 1.2-trillion in funds from state equity participation (PMN) to develop the Bali Maritime Tourism Hub (BMTH) at Benoa Harbour in Bali.
Ali Mulyono, Corporate Secretary of Pelindo is quoted as saying the development of the BMTH will have a direct economic impact on local governments, the central government, and the community, including the generation of local tax revenue and foreign exchange income from foreign tourists, and encourage the growth of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Bali and its surrounding areas.
Hence, the company is not only focusing on the development of facilities on land, but also expediting the construction of infrastructure in the sea, especially the anchorage and ship lanes. The BMTH is expected to serve cruise ships measuring up to 350-meters in length, which can carry up to six thousand passengers.
“We will continue to accelerate the dredging of anchorage and ship lanes in the BMTH area concurrently with the construction of facilities on land,” Mulyono said.
The anchorage and ship lanes will be dredged to minus 12-meter low water spring (MLWS) from minus 9-MLWS to accommodate larger cruise ships than are currently being handled.
The second phase of the dredging process, which has been divided into Project A and Project B is 13.2-percent and 30.8-percent complete, respectively.
The Benoa Cruise Terminal of Benoa Harbour, as the main part of the BMTH, is projected to become the largest cruise ship berth in Indonesia, possibly even the largest in Asia, claim Antara News.
The harbour enjoys a strategic position on the Indonesian cruising route, known as the Butterfly Route and the Benoa Cruise Terminal will be turned into a maritime tourism center equipped with a yacht marina, yacht club, theme park, and sports facility.
It will also have various other supporting facilities, such as a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal, liquid cargo storage, wet berth, dry berth, Bali Fish Market, as well as an MSME center.
The development of BMTH is targeted to be completed by mid-2023.
Source: Antara News
