The Directorate General Of Hubla Explains The Importance Of Inter-Island Connectivity For Meat Self-Sufficiency

Livestock (Photo: Antara)

The Directorate General of Sea Transportation of the Ministry of Transportation (Kemenhub) strengthens inter-island connectivity to support livestock transportation in order to achieve meat self-sufficiency in various regions of Indonesia.

"It is important to play a role in sea transportation specifically for livestock in maintaining the stability of meat supply throughout Indonesia," said Director of Traffic and Sea Transportation of the Directorate General of Sea Transportation of the Ministry of Transportation Hartanto quoting Antara.

The Directorate General of Sea Transportation of the Ministry of Transportation held a Technical Coordination Meeting for the Implementation of Public Service Obligations for Special Ships for Livestock Transportation which took place from 7-9 November 2024 in Bandung, West Java.

"This aims to strengthen inter-island connectivity to support the national meat self-sufficiency program for Advanced Indonesia," he said.

Hartanto said that this meeting was expected to produce optimal policies to support livestock distribution effectively and efficiently.

Through this activity, evaluation and absorption of input from various relevant stakeholders is carried out.

With the support of the relevant ministries and institutions, the Ministry of Transportation wants to ensure that special ships for livestock transportation can run according to the designated route network and provide optimal public services.

He revealed that livestock transport had grown from one ship in 2015 to six vessels in 2023.

The program started with KM Camara Nusantara 1 which in 2015 only carried 353 livestock. However, thanks to hard work and commitment, in 2023 livestock transportation increased significantly until it reached 31,321 animals.

"In fact, until October 2024, the number of livestock that has been transported has reached 36,740 animals," he also said.

However, Hartanto admits that there are still obstacles that need to be addressed, such as the long waiting time at the port, which has an impact on ship productivity.

He said that currently, the waiting period for cargo at the port reaches 8 to 10 days, because the determination of the cargo is not in accordance with the set shipping schedule, causing the ship's voyage target to not be achieved within one year.

"In the future, we hope that all relevant agencies and operators can commit to complying with the departure schedule to increase productivity," he said again.

In this coordination meeting, his party also emphasized the importance of synergy between the government, operators, and other related parties to improve sea transportation services specifically for livestock.

The Ministry of Transportation is committed to continuing to innovate and improve this livestock transportation service. We hope for support from all parties to provide convenience at the port and support timely services," he said.

Hartanto further hopes that, through this coordination meeting, various inputs and innovative solutions can be produced to overcome existing obstacles.

"With a shared commitment, we can create a more optimal transportation system, whose benefits can be felt directly by the wider community," said Hartanto.

The meeting was attended by representatives from various ministries, local governments, as well as operators and consultants for special sea transportation for livestock.

"With this technical coordination meeting, the Ministry of Transportation hopes to continue to support the national meat self-sufficiency program and realize better inter-island connectivity," said Hartanto.