Not Left Behind In Time, River Ships Still Eyed By East Kalimantan Homecomers

The wooden passenger ship on the Samarinda-Mahulu route while crossing the Mahakam River, Sunday, November 12, 2017. (ANTARA-M Ghofar)

The Commander of the Mahakam Ulu Sungai Kunjang Pier, Samarinda City, Pabulat, said that river ships are still in demand for travelers to transport home from Samarinda to the West Kutai region.

"Homecoming using Mahakam Samarinda ships to West Kutai and Mahakam Ulu is still in demand by the public, and as of Tuesday (April 18) the departure has increased to three ships with a total of 297 passengers," he said in Samarinda, East Kalimantan (Kaltim), Tuesday, April 18, confiscated by Antara.

He explained that for today the river ships departing for village transportation include KM Putra Mahakam Indah 1 with the Samarinda - Melak route carrying 121 passengers, 21 motorized vehicles, and five tons of goods.

Then, for KM Dayak Lestari, the Samarinda - Long Bagun route was boarded by 80 people, nine motorbikes and 20 tons of goods. And finally there is the Barokah 03 ship on the Samarinda - Muara Pahu route carrying 96 passengers, eight motorbikes, and three tons of goods.

Furthermore, the Fort said that this number could still increase when the ship stopped at Tenggarong Seberang Pier, Kutai Kartanegara.

In addition, the Fort Fort also added, because the Mahakam ship is still traditional so that passengers can still increase along the way.

He reported that all river boat tickets to return home to residents' villages had been sold out until Lebaran 2023, both Samarinda ships to West Kutai and vice versa.

To passengers to buy tickets three days before departure. For the price of tickets varies, Samarinda - Melak tickets and vice versa for the first floor per person are priced at around Rp. 200 thousand and the second floor is around Rp. 180 thousand.

Meanwhile, Samarinda - Mahakam Ulu tickets range from IDR 450 thousand on the first floor and around IDR 390 thousand for the second floor, while for motorbikes it is the same as for one person on the first floor.

"From the passenger data, there are more passengers from upstream of the Mahakam River to downstream than downstream to upstream," said Pabulat.

From the existing data, from the two ships departing, namely KM Putra Mahakam Indah 2 to Melak - Samarinda, there are 163 passengers and 13 motorbikes arriving in Samarinda as of today.

He said, for the convenience and security of passengers, inspections were carried out before leaving, consisting of buoy readiness, Light Fire Extinguishing Equipment (APAR) and pump engines.

The Jetty Commander said that the ship, which has been a transportation force since the 1960s, is still in demand because the price is still affordable compared to the others. In addition, road access is also a consideration.

Meanwhile, one of the passengers on the Hermawati river ship (39) chose to transport the river route to return to his hometown in Melak, West Kutai even though he had to take 19 hours on the ship.

"I chose to ride a river ship because many of the Samarinda land routes to West Kutai were damaged, better going home by boat, more relaxed too," he said.