Dredging works at the Surabaya Western Shipping Route (APBS) in East Java, Indonesia, are expected to begin this month after state-owned port operator PT Pelabuhan Indonesia III (Pelindo III) recently secured a 25-year concession to operate the route.
The widening of the APBS, a gateway to Tanjung Perak Port in Surabaya, will enable bigger ships to call at the port as well as the Gresik and Lamong Bay ports, while helping to decrease logistic costs, reports The Jakarta Post.
The 25-year concession rights entail two years for construction and 23 years for operation. The US$73-million development project includes widening the route from 100 meters to 150 meters and deepening it from 9 mean low water springs to 13 MLWS.
Dutch company Van Oord Dredging and Marine Contractors BV was awarded the dredging works, which were stopped in 2000, by Pelindo III last month.
A second phase is also planned that will see a further broadening of the APBS to 200 meters and further deepening to 16 MLWS.
The dredging project is expected to be completed by February 2015, which will allow the APBS to accommodate larger ships. These include dry bulk carriers with capacities of up to 90,000 deadweight tonnage, tanker ships with 65,000 DWT, liquefied natural gas carriers with 60,000 DWT, and container ships with 50,000 DWT.
Photo: BBC World Service
