Lombok Seeks to Build International Sea Port
The administration of the West Nusa Tenggara’s North Lombok district is seeking to build an international sea port to realize economic opportunities from an increasing number of foreign-flag vessels passing through Lombok Strait.
The strait has been declared part of Indonesia’s international shipping lanes since 2002, and has seen a growing number of vessels, national-and foreign-flag alike, sailing through it.
“We need to build an international port as a transit hub for ships sailing through Lombok Strait, as it has become part of the international sea lanes,” North Lombok district head Djohan Samsu said on Wednesday.
“The [proposed] development of the port is also based on advice from foreign businesses in want of the facility. If we build [the port], it will impact positively on the economic development of North Lombok and West Nusa Tenggara in general,” he added.
Djohan said the government also planned to integrate an industrial zone and international trade center within the port, which is expected to be situated in the subdistrict of Kayangan, thus earning the label: Kayangan International Port.
The district head said he had informed the West Nusa Tenggara administration and the central government of the plan, and were seeking to soon hold talks with the relevant parties.
“[We hope] that the central government would issue a recommendation, and help us find investors interested in developing the sea port. We don’t have the ability to build the facility ourselves because of the huge amount of investment.”
Djohan did not mention, however, how much the port would likely cost.
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