Hundreds Of Fishing Boats Run Aground On The Water Port Lane Of Katung Bangka

PANGKALPINANG - Hundreds of fishing boats ran aground and were trapped in the flow of the Katung Water Port, Bangka Regency, Bangka Belitung Islands, because the port flow was blocked and narrowed.

"We ask companies that have received a work order (SPK) from the Babel Islands Provincial Government to immediately dredge the flow and estuary of this port," said Head of the Air Kantung Port, Edo Meirdiano, as reported by ANTARA, Monday, October 9.

The silting of the Katung Water Port channel is the main port area in Sungailiat Bangka, where hundreds of fishing boats are leaning and going in and out, food carriers and government patrol boats.

The Babel Islands Provincial Government has issued a SPK to the company to immediately dredge the port's flow and estuary.

"Until now, the SPK has not been implemented and for companies that already have the SPK, immediately carry out their work, so that ship traffic at this port returns smoothly," he said.

Currently, the condition of the port is getting shallower and narrower, so ships with a capacity of more than 5 gross tones can no longer pass through the estuary due to silting.

"Don't let it be for political reasons of interest, the silting of the estuary flow is getting more and more protracted," continued Edo.

One of the fishermen, Bangka Andi, said that currently there are around 150 fishing boats that run aground or are trapped in the port channel, because the estuary flow is filled with sedimentation that is mounting up to tens of meters.

"We hope that the flow of this estuary will soon be dredged so that fishermen can get in and out easily. Currently there is a narrowing and silting," he said.

The silting is getting worse with a depth of only about one meter. Meanwhile, the width of the estuary flow is only five meters left, so fishing boats are often damaged and even have to be run aground while waiting for the tide.

"If this is allowed to drag on, the economy of fishermen will not move. Only debt will grow. The catch will not necessarily be obtained, the ship will be at risk of being damaged," he said. *