Integrated fishing ports to be funded by foreign grants

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries has been informed that the construction of integrated and modern fishing ports (PP) will be financed by foreign grants and loans from overseas.

"The development plan for integrated and modern fishing ports (PP) will be financed by a grant from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)," said Tri Aris Wibowo, the ministry's Director of Fisheries Port, in Jakarta on Friday.

The loan will be obtained from the Agence Française de Development (AFD) and the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), he added. According to him, port construction through the JICA grant scheme is being carried out at the Integrated Marine and Fisheries Center (SKPT), with activity centers at PP Ukurlaran-Saumlaki in Maluku, PP Daeo Majiko-Morotai in North Maluku, and PP Iee Meulee -Sabang in Aceh.

He explained that the process had reached the construction stage, while the tender process was still ongoing. Meanwhile, the foreign loan scheme from AFD has been implemented in four locations, which are Belawan Ocean Fishing Port (PPS), PPS Cilacap, PPS Kendari, and PPS Bitung.

The construction of the four ports is projected to take five to six years with an estimated cost of US$99.4 million. "This year is still the process of preparing consultants," Wibowo added.

Meanwhile, the loan from IsDB is being provided at two locations, namely the Archipelago Fisheries Port (PPN) of Pengambengan-Jembrana, Bali, and PPN Kejawanan-Cirebon, with a projected construction duration of four to five years and an estimated cost of US $102.4 million.

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Wibowo said that the development of fishing ports in Indonesia not only prioritizes economic functions and benefits for the community but also embraces an environment-friendly concept.

Furthermore, the ministry has prepared an international standard fishing port management system as a tool to supervise port operations and management, especially for projects financed by foreign sources. "This will be applied to the projects, especially those financed by foreign loans," he added.