Through the Directorate General of Sea Transportation, at the end of 2021, the Ministry of Transportation will complete the construction of the KM. Sabuk Nusantara 73. This ship will further facilitate connectivity in eastern Indonesia.
Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi on Saturday (25/12) attended the Nusantara Pura Passenger Terminal at Tanjung Priok Port to release the ship’s departure to Saumlaki Port, Maluku Province. This ship will directly serve community mobility and logistics distribution around Maluku and East Nusa Tenggara.
“This ship is a pioneer ship that is part of the sea toll, which will ensure connectivity goes well,” said the Minister of Transportation.
Even during the pandemic, the Ministry of Transportation continued to build transportation facilities and infrastructure to carry out the vision and mission of Indonesian President Joko Widodo to facilitate connectivity, which would unite Indonesia.
“In the Nataru (Christmas and holiday season) era, this ship will serve the mobility of our brothers and sisters in NTT and Maluku because many will return by boat,” said the Minister of Transportation.
The Minister of Transportation further reminded that during the Nataru holiday period, the tightening of health procedures must be carried out properly. There is no transmission on board the ship, which causes an increase in Covid-19 cases after the Nataru holiday.
On the same occasion, Director of Traffic and Sea Transportation Capt. Mugen Sartoto, in his report, explained that the construction of KM. Sabuk Nusantara 73 with the GT-2000 type with a capacity of 500 people was built by PT Dock Koja Bahari in Tanjung Priok, Jakarta.
KM. Sabuk Nusantara 73 will be operated by PT Mandala Sejahtera Abadi, and will occupy the base port in Saumlaki, Maluku, to connect eastern Indonesia.
In addition to releasing the ship’s departure, the Minister of Transportation also reviewed the vaccination and antigen test services available at the Nusantara Pura passenger terminal at Tanjung Priok Port. These services are essential to ensure that the policy for tightening the health program can run well in the field.
Also attending the event were Inspector General Gede Pasek Suardika, Head of Tanjung Priok OP Wisnu Handoko and Head of Tanjung Priok Harbormaster Andi Hartono.
