Ports have an important role in sustaining the progress of a region, including in West Kalimantan. Therefore, the Kijing International Port project is considered very important in order to encourage the export growth of Natural Resources (SDA) in the region. This was conveyed by the Director General of Sea Transportation, Arif Toha while accompanying the working visit of Commission V of the DPR RI in the context of a review of infrastructure and transportation in West Kalimantan Province, Tuesday (12/7/2022). The inspection of the Kijing International Terminal at the Pontianak Dwikora Port in Mempawah Regency was attended by all partners of Commission V of the DPR RI and the Governor of West Kalimantan Province and their ranks. "The Kijing Terminal development project has an important role in encouraging the growth of natural resource exports in West Kalimantan and acts as a gateway for exports and imports of goods, and the plan will soon be inaugurated by President Joko Widodo," said Director General Arif.
Kijing International Terminal is located in a strategic location and functions to overcome service limitations and technical problems at the Dwikora Port, Pontianak, such as pond depth and sedimentation. Kijing International Terminal is the largest terminal in Mempawah Regency which will operate in West Kalimantan. Later this terminal will support and synergize with the Capital of the Archipelago. In addition, Kijing Terminal also plays a role in accommodating the rapidly increasing demand for services due to the development of the CPO industry, bauxite and other plantation activities. "So its existence is one of the most important things in encouraging the progress of West Kalimantan," said Director General Arif.
The Kijing Terminal was built in order to support the Government's Program in implementing the Sea Highway to improve connectivity between islands in Indonesia. "In order to reduce logistics costs and as one of several Hub Ports that are components of the sea toll road," explained Director General Arif. The Kijing Terminal development plan has been listed in the Minister of Transportation Regulation No. KP 787 of 2016 concerning the Master Plan for the Pontianak Port, West Kalimantan Province. Phase 1A (initial) development carried out in 2017-2021 includes the construction of container terminals, landside fields, trestles and others. "With a total land area of 200 hectares and an estimated capacity of 500,000 TEUs of container terminals and an estimated capacity of 500,000 tons of multipurpose terminals," said Director General Arif. Director General Arif also conveyed support for other sea transportation transportation in West Kalimantan Province, namely as many as 5 (five) pioneer ship routes. "And there are 26 routes with 26 Pelni vessels through the PSO scheme," concluded Director General Arif. The other ports in West Kalimantan are Karimata Port, Tanjung Satai Port, Sukadana Port, Kendawangan Port, Ketapang Port, Melano Bay Port, Paloh Port, Mempawah Port, Sintete Port and Padang Tikar Port. For information, during this series of working visits in West Kalimantan Province, Commission V of the Indonesian House of Representatives also conducted a review of other infrastructure and transportation development projects, including the Kapuas 1 Duplication Bridge Development Location, Kapuas 3 Development Location, and Supadio Airport.
