Five Ports In Bangka Belitung Experienced The Impact Of Tin Ore Mining

Illustration, the cargo ship docked in the entrance flow of Pangkalbalam Port (ANTARA/Aprionist)

PANGKALPINANG - Acting Governor of the Bangka Belitung Islands, Syafrizal ZA, stated that five ports in Babel experienced silting of the ship's shipping channel, as a result of tin ore mining in the sea.

"Our port typology is easily silted, so it can hinder the entry and exit of goods ships and passengers," said Syafrizal ZA in Pangkalpinang, quoted by ANTARA, Saturday, May 11.

Currently, there are five ports in the Babel Islands that experience silting of the flow, namely Pangkalbalam Port in Pangkalpinang City, Kurau in Central Bangka Regency, South Sadai Bangka, Jelitik Bangka and Tanjungpandan in Belitung Regency.

"Currently it is only at Tanjungpandan, Sadai and Jelitik ports which are in the process of being Amdal to dredge the ship's shipping channel, while other ports have not," he said.

The port in the Babylon Islands, according to Syafrizal, is prone to silting, due to tin ore mining activities in the sea and river currents from upstream carrying sand and mud.

"This has been going on for a long time, so that sand material, mud from upstream and downstream piles up at the shipping lanes at the ports of this area," he said.

According to him, in dredging the port flow, emergency action is needed, because if it goes through a regular route or procedure it takes one year to apply for permits and others.

"In managing the dredging permit, it will take at least six to eight months. Therefore, emergency action is needed to dredge this port," he said.