The sea toll ship KM Logistik Nusantara 4 belonging to PT Pelni stopped at the port of Sri Bayintan Kijang, Bintan Regency, Riau Island Province (Kepri). This is the inaugural voyage of sea toll ships in the area after being vacuumed for two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Captain Hendri Ginting, the Director of Traffic and Sea Transportation, said the presence of the sea toll road in the Kijang area is to encourage economic growth in the region and other areas traversed by the T-3 route. “We have coordinated with all relevant parties, ministries, institutions and also local governments and all interested parties so that they can support the Sea Highway program,” said Capt. Hendri. Hendri hopes that the presence of this sea toll can improve connectivity and economic growth and reduce price disparities, especially in the 3TP area, considering the local area is very dependent on the island of Java, especially in terms of meeting the basic needs of the local community. “It can help the community to meet their basic needs and also get a cheap price because the goods can reach the area on a fixed and regular schedule,” he added.
Hendri also asked local governments to actively encourage their regional potentials so they can become counterchargers for the Sea Toll Road. The T3 route has a service route based at Tanjung Priok - Kijang - Letung - Tarempa - Pulau Laut - Selat Lampa - Subi - Serasan - Midai - Kijang - Patimban and back to Tanjung Priok. Head of the Transportation Service of the Riau Islands Provincial Government, Junaidi, said the ship contained 100 containers containing essential goods and necessities such as cement, iron, frozen chicken, mango, mineral water, and other necessities. The marine toll ship KM Logistik Nusantara 4 departs from Patimban port, Subang Regency, West Java and then stops at Kijang, Tarempa, Letung, Natuna Strait (Kepri), then returns to Patimban with a journey time of about 23 days. Junaidi said that KM Logistik Nusantara 4 was assigned by the central government to facilitate the distribution of essential goods and basic needs to remote, outermost, and border areas, especially in Riau Islands.
