Kotabaru, in the context of regional, national and international, has a competitive advantage, because its strategic position is in the Indonesian crossing center and has the potential to be the most efficient alternative transit gateway in international shipping traffic in the Asia Pacific.
It is natural, if later Kotabaru's position, nicknamed "Bumi Saijaan" became a vital area in the development of Indonesia's development in the maritime field. Moreover, sea transportation is a very important and strategic means of transportation in Kotabaru.
Data recorded by the number of ships entering the Stagen Port, Kotabaru, in one period of 664 vessels were dominated by local shipping and as many as 788 ships and 20 ships were foreign shipping.
The executive together with the Kotabaru DPRD stated the need for the construction of an international deep-sea port. If this happens, the Bumi Saijaan will be the gateway to the economy of Eastern Indonesia, even the Asia Pacific.
The analysis, Kotabaru is in a strategic position with a geographical location right in the middle of the Indonesian archipelago. If the deep sea port is owned, the distribution of goods and services will go through Kotabaru, especially since container ports in Surabaya have been overloaded, besides consideration of the efficiency of time and cost.
The existence of these facilities has an impact on the distribution of goods for Eastern Indonesia. Likewise, the export-import route from and to the Asia Pacific region will save more than eight hours of travel compared to if it starts from Surabaya.
As part of the world's maritime axis, Kotabaru has great potential. The smooth flow of the sea, air, and landlines will facilitate the distribution of agricultural, livestock, forestry, plantation, mining and industrial and tourism products.
Kotabaru Regent H Sayed Jafar acknowledged that Kotabaru is geographically islands that has considerable potential for natural wealth in the marine sector. One of the opportunities is sea transportation facilities that need to be developed.
"With 162 islands, and 24 of them inhabited by people, Kotabaru really needs the development of sea transportation to be able to connect one island to another," said Sayed.
Moreover, the distance between the islands is relatively far with a distance of two hours to tens or even dozens of hours, using sea transportation modes, such as motorized boats, ferry, and speedboats.
The relevance of the concept of President Jokowi's sea highway with Kotabaru, which covers Islands, has become very precise, especially because of the compatibility with the background of the regent who is a shipping industry entrepreneur.
According to the Golkar Party politician, the concept of the sea highway by prioritizing sea transportation modes is the right step and solution in answering the challenges and needs of the people of Bumi Saijaan economically and efficiently.
Because, if an inter-island bridge is to be built, that is very unlikely. Will swallow very large funds, because the distance from one island to another is quite far.
"As support for the concept of the sea highway, in the future, we will conduct a shipping route that connects several regions on three islands namely Paciran (East Java), Kotabaru (South Kalimantan) and Sulawesi," Sayed said.
Of these routes, at least four provinces will be passed, namely East Java, South Kalimantan, South Sulawesi, and West Sulawesi.
Through the operation of the sea lane, it is expected that it will have an impact on the growth and development of the economy of the community, especially in areas that are crossed by ships, by bringing each other products and superior products to each other.
On a local scale, ferry operations have been carried out so far which connects Pulau Laut to Sebuku Island. In the future, the new route of Sigam, Pulau Laut, and the Kalimantan mainland at Tanjung Batu, Kelumpang Tengah will be launched.
"Before I finished my term, we planned to open a Lontar - Pulau Sembilan shipping route, and it was expected to be able to operate every day," he explained, citing all this time that people were expecting it because the ships were only once a week.
Choose to serve the people
The regent admitted that so far the operation of ferry boats was still losing money. If the business is considered, the operation of ferry vessels is not feasible, because almost certainly management always subsidizes IDR 35 million to IDR 40 million each month.
For business considerations, he continued, it would be far more profitable if the ship is rented because the rental rate is IDR 250 million per month.
"We prefer ships not to be rented, but are operated to serve the community on Sebuku Island and its surroundings to open isolated areas, so that it is indirectly able to move the economy of the people in the area," he explained.
The regent hopes the participation of the central government in assisting the operation of shipping that connects the islands in Kotabaru, including by subsidizing fuel prices through Pertamina. This is in the interest of society.
He claimed to have proposed a fuel subsidy to operate ferry vessels on the Pulau Laut-Pulau Sebuku route to the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM).
In addition, Sayed hopes for other support, such as the construction of docks or ports in a number of areas where shipping routes can be opened whose management can be left to the regional government through the transportation agency.
Meanwhile, the Antara National News Agency, as the only state news agency, will give awards to the regional government who have a strong commitment to improving community welfare.
The Chairman of the Assessment Team Syamsuddin said several indicators of regional program feasible to receive the Antara Award are consistency in the implementation of the program, it changing the mindset of the community to be better, and to encourage the welfare of the community.
In addition, it has broad support from all parties involved, and has been successfully implemented in accordance with the program set.
