Observer: The Port Of KCN Important Parts Of The Realization Of Indonesia Becomes The World Maritimexis

Photo: Doc. Antara

Maritime observer Capt. Marcellus Hakeng Jayawibawa revealed that the port of PT Karya Citra Nusantara (KCN), located in Marunda, North Jakarta, is an important part of realizing Indonesia's ideals as a world maritime axis state in 2045.

The role of the port is very important to support economic and business activities, the distribution of goods from regions or cities on one island to other areas or cities on the island can be ascertained through ports. So that the role of the port for regional development and economic development is very large in its role," he said, in a written statement, Sunday, November 20.

As is known, the public terminal of the port of KCN that has been accessed to the state and its shares is also owned by the state through PT Kawasan Berikat Nusantara has been temporarily suspended its business license since June 2022. As a result, all economic activity there has been stopped so that it has an impact on the losses of various parties, ranging from the port user industry to loading and unloading workers & workers who rely their lives on the port.

Responding to this chaos, Capt. Hakeng revealed, this closure caused a lot of domino effect. He gave an example, for the queue of ships it could take days or even weeks.

"In addition, it is certain that many people have experienced termination of employment from the closure of KCN because the ship's entrepreneurs, loading and unloading companies, truck companies, heavy equipment supply companies, or Port Business Entities are unable to pay their honorariums," said the man who is also the founder and Central Leadership Council of Indonesian Maritime Safety and Security Experts (AKKMI).

In line with Capt. Hakeng, one of the representatives of the Munif Port Service User Association (Penjaspel) stated that due to the closure of the KCN port, all economic activities in Marunda were automatically hampered.

"Thousands of people became unemployed, the queue of ships increased rapidly, the loading and unloading time became longer, the traffic jam was severe in the Marunda area, the trucks became slower inritace, causing a high increase in logistics costs," said the man who is also a member of the Indonesian ShipOwner Association (INSA).

Furthermore, Munif admitted that he was surprised by the decision to close the port of KCN which was vital to the livelihoods of many people and had deposited taxes into the state of up to Rp180 billion. According to him, this policy was carried out unilaterally, without a thorough study of various stakeholders and about where the source of air pollution came from.

It has been proven that it has been almost five months since it was closed (the KCN port), it turns out that dust pollution is still happening in Rusunawa Marunda, North Jakarta.

"A detailed and thorough study should first be carried out on the causes of coal dust pollution, considering that there is an industrial area that produces coal dust (fly ash), and other ports that carry out coal dismantling," he said.

Munif also said that the Pempel still wonders why until now the KCN Port has not reopened even though of the 32 sanctions given, only 1 sanction has not been fulfilled by the KCN Port, namely regarding the construction of a 6 meter high wall because it is waiting for approval from the North Jakarta LH Sub-Department & DKI LH Service.