Three national seaports in West Sulawesi completed

Antara News, Monday, February 15, 2010 22:53 WIB

Mamuju (ANTARA News)- The building of three national seaports in West Sulawesi province is entering its finishing touches and scheduled to operate this year.

Head of the Marine Affairs of the West Sulawesi Transportation Agency Nicholas Terrano said here Monday the three national seaports are located in Budong subdistrict, Mamuju regency and in Pasangkayu subdistrict, Mamuju Utara regency.

"The two national seaports, whose construction was started in 2008, have entered their finishing touches this year, and would soon go into operation," he said.

In the meantime, he said, one of the national seaports which had also been completed in January 2010, and ready for operation, is located in Silopo, Polewali Mandar regency.

He said the three national seaports are each built at a cost of Rp10 billion taken from the State Budget in stages.

He said that with the operation of the three seaports the sea transportation infrastructure in the region will increase and ready to serve as cargo handling ports.

"Pelni ships of 1500 to 2500 tons capacity will be calling at the ports for transit from other areas like Makassar, Balikpapan, Manado, Palu, Surabya and Jakarta, and from some other areas," he said.

He also said that there will also be 1500-ton pioneering ships of the West Sulawesi administration and provided by the central government with funding from the state budget, to serve inter insular shipping to carry cargo and people.