Investment Value Reaches IDR 1.4 Trillion, Orchid Port Construction Progress In Gorontalo Is 65 Percent

JAKARTA - PT Hutama Karya (Persero) reports that the progress of the construction of the Orchid Port in Gorontalo has reached 65 percent to date. The investment value of this project is IDR 1.4 trillion.

"The construction of the Government Cooperation and Business Entity (PPP) project at the Orchid Port in Gorontalo with the current development progress has reached 65 percent," said Executive Vice President (EVP) Corporate Secretary Hutama Karya Adjib Al Hakim as quoted from his written statement, Tuesday, May 6.

Adjib explained that the construction of the Anggrek Port which was worked on by Hutama Karya was divided into two main areas, with the progress of sea side work reaching 85 percent, while the land side was still around 30 percent.

For the sea side, Adjib said, the main work that had been completed included the construction of a dock structure, access roads (trestle) as well as coastal planning and protection work.

"With this achievement, we are optimistic that we can complete all work on the sea side by the end of August," he said.

"As for the land side, the project still faces challenges related to land acquisition which is the key to accelerating construction," he continued.

The Orchid Port itself is designed with various modern facilities that support loading and unloading activities, including a new dock capable of simultaneously accommodateping up to three large ships, a container shelter area covering an area of 19,000 square meters, an empty depot covering an area of 9,700 square meters, warehousing areas, offices and waste management areas.

Overall, the Orchid Port is designed in an area of 4.8 hectares of a total area of 9.3 hectares according to the port's master plan.

According to Adjib, the construction was carried out by Hutama Karya without disturbing the operations of existing dock services that were running as usual.

"The construction of this project also uses domestic products and creates jobs for the surrounding community during the construction phase," he said.

Built through the KPBU scheme with the Build Operate Transfer (BOT) model with a concession period of 30 years, the Port of Anggrek is the first transhipment port in Eastern Indonesia to be worked on with a pattern of cooperation between the government and the private sector.

Hutama Karya acts as the main contractor for construction with full involvement in the physical implementation of the project, while PT Gotrans Logistic International and PT Anugerah Jelajah Indonesia Logistics are involved in the consortium.

To ensure the acceleration of the completion of this project, said Adjib, Hutama Karya conducted intensive coordination with the owner, namely PT AGIT, cross-divisions related and the Ministry of Transportation.

"With a number of acceleration efforts made, we are optimistic that we can complete this project with good quality results," he said.

After fully operational later, the Orchid Port will serve main routes, such as the Makassar 'Surabaya Orchid, Bitung'Ternate' Sorong Orchid and connect Gorontalo with national major ports.

This port also applies the green port concept with the use of energy-efficient LED lights, integrated waste management and reforestation areas as part of a commitment to sustainable development.

Furthermore, according to Adjib, the development of the Orchid Port will be a catalyst for economic growth in Gorontalo Province and the surrounding area. With a capacity of around 35,000 TEUs per year, logistics costs are estimated to be down 15-25 percent compared to the previous one.

"This will increase the competitiveness of local commodities, such as corn, fish and plantation products and create around 500 to 700 new jobs, both direct and indirect," he concluded.