The Ministry Of Transportation Encourages Pioneer Crossing To Become A Commersil To Advance 3TP Regional Economics

Illustration of one of the pioneering routes in Indonesia. (Photo: Doc. Ministry of Transportation)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Transportation through the Directorate General of Land Transportation continues to encourage pioneer crossings to turn into commercial.

The goal is that the regional economy, especially in the Disadvantaged, Frontier, Outermost and Border (3TP) areas can develop.

Director of River, Lake and Cross Transportation, Lilik Handoyo said, based on data from 2017 to 2023 there were 27 pioneer routes whose traffic status changed to commercial.

Furthermore, he said, the average change in pioneer traffic to commercial is five crossings per year.

In 2024, there will be an additional four pioneer crossings that will become commercial, namely cross Sei acid-Sunyat, Nunukan-Sebatik, Kendari-Langgara, and Raha-Puhe.

"The change in pioneer crossings to commercial is a good thing because it means that the area has economically become a developing area," he said in an official statement, Friday, January 26.

Selain itu, sambung Lilik, hal itu juga membuktikan bahwa trajectories tersebut secara komersil sudah dapat menguntungkan dan menutup biaya operasional, sehingga anggaran subsidi dapat dialihkan kepada lintas pemberian baru yang belum memiliki transport penghubungan.

In accordance with the Regulation of the Minister of Transportation Number PM 104 of 2017 concerning the Implementation of Crossing Transportation, the pioneer crossing can be subsidized if it is commercially unfavorable and the average ship load factor is less than 60 percent per year.

Meanwhile, if the pioneer track has met 60 percent of the cargo factor and covers operational costs, then the track can be revoked and its status increased to commercial.

For information, this year there are 353 crossings, 84 of which are commercial crossings and 269 others are pioneer crossings.

"Initially the crossover was commercially unfavorable and required subsidies from the government, to develop into a profitable crossover for ship operators on the track without the need for subsidies for the state budget (APBN)," explained Lilik.

With the change in pioneer track to commercial, continued Lilik, it is hoped that national services and connectivity development in the field of crossing transportation, especially in the 3TP area, can be realized.

"The presence of pioneer crossings in the 3TP area is also expected to connect areas that have not developed with developed areas, improve the regional economy, maintain inflation levels, and equalize development," he said.

Lilik also said that the Directorate General of Land Transportation through the Directorate of River, Lake and Crossing Transportation will evaluate and map additional pioneer routes and increase pioneer crossings into commercial.

"We will conduct evaluations and consolidation with various stakeholders to accommodate regional needs related to piloting services and evaluating commercially accessible routes," he said.