Strengthening Regional Economy, ASDP Expands Inter-Island Crossing Services In Tual

Photo: Doc. ASDP

JAKARTA - PT ASDP Indonesia Ferry (Persero) continues to strengthen its role in supporting tourism growth and the local economy in the Tual area, Maluku. One of them is through inter-island crossing services.

ASDP Corporate Secretary Shelvy Arifin emphasized that the crossing service facilitates access to leading destinations and distribution of basic needs for the local community.

Shelvy said ASDP through Ambon and Tual branches also continues to strive to ensure the fulfillment of public interest services and facilitate the mobility of people in this area consisting of many small islands.

"Transportation access is still limited, even though Tual and its surroundings have extraordinary tourism potential, especially beach tourist destinations. We ensure that safe and comfortable crossing services can increase the flow of tourists to this area," Shelvy said in an official statement, Tuesday, September 17.

Shelvy explained that one of the tourist destinations that is now increasingly accessible thanks to ASDP services is Batu Kora Beach and Papallisran Beach on Dobo. Both beaches offer stunning white sand panoramas, and tourists can reach them via the Tual-Dobo route using the Lobster KMP with a travel time of about three hours.

"This transportation is vital to boost the number of tourist visits, which in turn boosts the local economy through the tourism sector," he said.

Apart from Dobo, continued Shelvy, tourists can also visit the Bandaeli area with only one hour from Tual using the Tanjung Madlahar KMP. Bandaeli not only offers beach beauty, but also cultural heritage in the form of traditional pottery crafts known as Umbo or Umba.

Where the coloring of these pottery is carried out using ancient techniques using natural rocks, such as Batu Singgao and Batu Wailyaro, which are a special attraction for tourists.

Not only in terms of tourism, ASDP also plays an important role in supporting the economy of the local community, especially in the distribution of basic commodities such as vegetables.

"Tual and the surrounding islands have sandy soil conditions that make it difficult for vegetable farming, so supplies must be imported from other areas, such as Ambon. ASDP ensures that the distribution process of vegetables and other basic commodities can run smoothly, so that the needs of the community are met and the local economy continues to move," said Shelvy.

According to Shelvy, access to transportation provided by ASDP is not only profitable for tourism, but also spurs other economic activities. Better accessibility opens up opportunities for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to grow and develop, because goods can be sent faster and cheaper.

"We see the smooth distribution of goods not only improves the welfare of the community, but also expands the market for local business actors," he said.

Currently, ASDP serves crossing routes in the Tual area with three ferries, namely KMP Lobster, KMP Tanjung Madlahar, and KMP ERana. The routes served include Tual-Dobo, Dobo-Benjina, Tual-Kur, to Tual-Kaimana, which connects remote areas with distribution centers and tourism.

ASDP noted that from January to August 2024, the company had served 16,272 passengers and 1,932 vehicles, most of which were two-wheeled vehicles.

With the growing access to this crossing, it is hoped that the economy of Tual and the surrounding areas will continue to increase.

ASDP is also optimistic that increasing connectivity between islands will have a positive impact on strategic sectors such as tourism, trade, and distribution of basic commodities, which will ultimately improve the welfare of the people in the region.