Bali Benoa Harbor Serves Jumbo Cruise Ships Transporting 3,000 People

DENPASAR - BUMN Pelindo Benoa Harbor Branch, Denpasar, Bali, for the first time serving a jumbo-sized cruise ship docked carrying 3,000 passengers.

"Not only is it our pride but also has an impact on the revival of the Bali tourism economy," said the General Manager of Pelindo Branch of Benoa Anak Agung Gede Agung Mataram in Denpasar, quoted by ANTARA, Tuesday, April 4.

The MSC Magnifica luxury cruise ship carries 2,042 passengers and a crew of up to 928 people.

The docking of the Panama-flagged cruise ship at the East Pier of Benoa Harbor, he said, also became a new history because it was visited by the largest cruise ship carrying many passengers.

The cruise ship, which was produced in 2010, has a length of 293.8 meters with a displacement of 95,128 gross tons.

After boarding, the foreign tourists then got off the ship and were greeted by traditional Balinese traditional entertainment such as gamelan and welcoming dances namely the Cendrawasih and Panyembrama dances.

"We hope that more similar ships can dock at Benoa," he added.

Previously, in order to improve cruise ship passenger services at Benoa Harbor, Pelindo had prepared a number of facilities at the passenger terminal such as rupiah currency exchange, automated teller machines (ATMs), Information outlets to booths for souvenirs and souvenirs that tourists could buy.

Meanwhile, Deputy for Maritime Sovereignty and Energy Coordination at the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment Jodi Mahardi added that the arrival of the large cruise ship was in line with the government's efforts to boost Bali tourism.

"This is a good thing, a large cruise ship docked at Benoa Harbor carrying 3,000 passengers, of course, this is in line with the government's efforts to have a positive impact on the economy of the Balinese people," he said.

The plan is for MSC Magnifica to dock for two days at Benoa Harbor and depart for Singapore on Wednesday (5/4).