Tanjung Priok Offers Indonesia New Car Shipment Service

Jakarta Globe, Irvan Tisnabudi, February 14, 2010

Honda Freed minivans due to be exported to Singapore prior to loading at Tanjung Priok port in Jakarta. The state-owned port operator hopes the volume of vehicle traffic through the port grows as a result of its new transshipment service. (Bloomberg Photo/Dimas Ardian)

The Tanjung Priok port car terminal on Thursday began offering new transshipment services in a bid to challenge rival regional ports.

Richard Lino, president director of state-owned port operator PT Pelindo II, said the new service and the port’s strategic location would help it compete against ports in Singapore and Malaysia.

“In the past, car exporters in countries like India and Thailand have used the transshipment service in those two countries [Singapore and Malaysia], but Indonesia now has a similar service,” he said.

Transshipment is the shipment of goods to an intermediate destination for later shipment to another locale. It is often used to gather multiple small shipments headed to a single destination into a bigger shipment.

Deputy Transportation Minister Bambang Susantono said he believed the transshipment service for cars would make the Tanjung Priok port more attractive than its rivals.

“The Tanjung Priok port has always been an attractive port for shipping vehicles to and from Southeast Asia and Australia, as it is more strategic in terms of location compared to its rivals,” he said.

Pelindo II did not reveal the price or nature of the investment required to begin offering transshipment services.

The first ship to use the new service was the Golden Fang out of India. It unloaded 394 of its 1,091 cars onto the Rocky Highway ship, heading to New Zealand and Australia. The rest were unloaded for sale on Indonesia’s domestic market.

“The tariff for unloading, then loading the car again is Rp 600,000 [$64] per car,” said Gunta Prabawa, chief of the port’s car terminal.

The port can unload 130 cars per hour and load 90 per hour. The terminal has a parking capacity of 6,000 cars.

In 2009, a total of 112,983 cars passed through the terminal: 55,670 were imported and 57,313 were exported. This was a sharp decline from 180,000 in 2008.

Aviliani, an economist at the Institute for Development of Economics and Finance, welcomed the new transshipment service.

“It provides a more efficient cost alternative for the exporters, and we’ll be able to enjoy the added revenue from the shipments,” she said.

However, she cautioned that the service presented a challenge also: loading and unloading the increased number of cars with appropriate care.

“We can’t fall behind the ports in Malaysia in Singapore when it comes to fulfilling international standards for the cars being loaded and unloaded here,” Aviliani said.

RI, Australia conduct research in Ashmore Reef

Antara News, Thursday, February 11, 2010 02:25 WIB

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian and Australian governments planned a joint fishery survey and research in the Ashmore Reef to settle the dispute in the MoU Box area.

Head of the International and Inter Institutional Cooperation Center of the Ministry of Marine and Fishery Affairs Anang Nugroho said in Jakarta Wednesday that with regard to the settlement of the dispute between the two countries in the Ashmore Reef region as agreed in the MoU Box, the two sides discussed several things including the important joint survey and research on fishery commodities in the region.

In addition, he said, conservation in the MoU Box region is linked to the method of fishing molluscs of the traditional fishermen, and the alternative livelihood implementation under the Coastal Community Development program.

He added that the joint research in the region is aimed at obtaining joint data on the availability of fish stocks in the region, so that it would be clear what species need conservation.

In the meeting between Minister of Marine and Fishery Affairs Fadel Muhammad and Australian Ambassador Bill Farmer, he said that the discussion also touched on bilateral cooperation between the two countries. In the marketing of fishery products under the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement.

Identification of the management of the Arafuru marine ecosystem through the Australia Timor Sea Forum (ATSEF) and fostered institutional cooperation through the Coral Triangle Initiative forum was also taken up, Anang added.

The two, he said, also discussed joint fishery management like tuna and carp fishery data and information system in East Indonesia.

In addition, they also discussed the development of method and database by logbook, and observer program for tuna and red carp fishery.

US Pacific Fleet and Indonesian Military Talk Security Before Obama Visit

Jakarta Globe, Camelia Pasandaran, February 10, 2010

The commander of the US Pacific Fleet said on Wednesday that he would ensure security during next month’s visit to Indonesia by US President Barack Obama and his family.

“I look forward to the opportunity next month to cooperate with the TNI (Indonesian military) and the government of Indonesia in ensuring the security of the entire visit,” Robert Willard, US Pacific Fleet Commander, said at the Presidential Palace.

“In my discussions with my counterparts in the Ministry of Defense and the military, they talked about their commitment to our president’s security, which we’re very grateful for,” he said.

“In addition, when the president travels in this region of the world, the US Pacific command is generally called upon to provide assistance for his security. But we’re very confident in the security arrangements that you will make and in the capabilities of the Indonesian military to fulfill their responsibilities in terms of our president’s secure visit.”

Willard’s statement was delivered during a press conference after his meeting with President Yudhoyono regarding security and military cooperation between the two nations.

“The president said that the bilateral relations between Indonesia and the US have started well and will be advanced with the comprehensive partnership plan that will be signed by President Obama and President Yudhoyono during next month’s visit,” Dino Patti Djalal, the presidential advisor for international relations, said at the palace.

“He and I were discussing advancing the relationship between our militaries, the roles that Indonesia play – very important roles in this region – and of course the visit of our president that will occur next month,” Willard said.

“We’re very grateful for the help that Indonesia has provided in areas such as counterterrorism, in the progress of your economy and the leadership that you are providing within the region,” he said.

“We’re very fortunate to have a strong relationship with the TNI and it is part of our responsibility to see that over the years, from the US side, that it continues to advance.”

Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro said that the Indonesian military will carry out regular security procedures for Obama’s visit.

“They (the US Pacific Fleet) also said that they wanted to bring their own security system. I said, go ahead, because he’s their president,” Purnomo said.

Up until now, there has been no announcement concerning the exact dates of Obama’s visit.

“I cannot announce it,” Dino said. “We’re still discussing it.”

Dino said he could also not yet announce the locations that Obama would visit during his stay in Indonesia.

“This is a state visit and there has been a fixed route during his visit,” he said.

When asked whether Obama would visit his old elementary school in Menteng, Dino said that it was being planned but he could not announce it yet.

“If I announced it, and it did not happen, it means I have jumped too far ahead,” he said.

“As good host, we will try not just to make the visit to a success, but also make it a historic visit.”

Indonesia seaweed supply to RP assured

BusinessMirror, Agri-Commodities, Written by Jennifer A. Ng / Reporter, WEDNESDAY, 10 FEBRUARY 2010 19:48

INDONESIA has assured seaweed processors from the Philippines that it will be able to supply its requirements for raw seaweed in the coming years.

Dr. Victor Nikijuluw, a director of Indonesia’s Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, disclosed that Jakarta is not planning to impose a total ban on seaweed exports.

“[We are not planning to impose] a total ban; what we plan to do is manage exports,” Nikijuluw told reporters in a press briefing in Makati City late Monday night.

The Indonesian official said he is looking at three approaches to “manage exports.”

One approach, he said, is to give the license to import raw seaweed to companies that operate processing plants in Indonesia.

“[The second approach] is to give the export license to small and medium enterprises and cooperatives. This will ensure that SMEs and cooperatives benefit from the export of raw seaweed,” said Nikijuluw.

The Indonesian official said the third approach would be to implement a quota system for traders. He noted that Jakarta may implement all these strategies by 2012.

Last year Nikijuluw disclosed that Indonesia produced a total of 300,000 metric tons of raw seaweed. Of this volume, around 85 percent was exported to other markets. China cornered a significant chunk of this volume. The Philippines accounts for about 25 percent of what Indonesia exports to the world.

By 2014, Indonesia is targeting to increase raw-seaweed production to 1 million metric tons. Nikijuluw assured that the Philippines would still be able to get supply from Indonesia.

Benson Dakay, president of the Seaweed Industry Association of the Philippines (SIAP), hopes that Indonesia will not resort to a total ban on raw-seaweed exports.

“[Jakarta] wants [all raw seaweeds] to be processed before it ships out seaweed products. If Indonesia will impose a total ban, [their] farmers would surely suffer, because they will lose markets for their produce,” said Dakay, who also owns the seaweed-processing firm Shemberg Corp.

Meanwhile, Dakay disclosed that local seaweed processors are operating below capacity due to the lack of local seaweed supply.

“Our cottonii processing is only 30 percent, because there is no raw seaweed. We [currently] rely on Indonesia, Vietnam and Cambodia for supply,” he said.

The SIAP chief said the lack of local seaweed supply can be traced to the inability of farmers to get financing for their farming venture.

“In the past, [seaweed-processing companies] extend loans to farmers and if they default, companies can write off their loans. Now, we can no longer do that,” said Dakay.

Benjamin Tabios Jr., assistant director of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, said the agency’s hands are practically tied because there is no enabling law that gives them the authority to finance seaweed farmers.

“Nowhere can you find in the Fisheries Code a specific language on financing for the seaweed industry,” said Tabios.

Seaweed is one of the top 10 export winners of the Philippines. In 2008 the value of seaweeds and carageenan exports reached $122 million, according to Department of Agriculture figures.

Welcome aboard

The Jakarta Post, Tue, 02/09/2010 5:28 PM, National

Welcome aboard: New Indonesian Navy warship KRI Frans Kaisiepo-368 docks in Biak, Papua. Indonesian Military [TNI] chief Gen. Djoko Santoso officiated at the launch of the new warship, which was made in the Netherlands along with two others, KRI BIRANG-831 and KRI MULGA-832, in Biak on Tuesday. Antara/Col. Suhartono

Sail Banda to lure thousands of tourists, investors

Antara News, by Bustanuddin, Monday, February 8, 2010 11:07 WIB

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The international marine event Sail Banda which will take place in Ambon city, Maluku`s provincial capital in July to August 2010 is expected to attract thousands of foreign tourists.

In efforts to attract around 6,000 tourists to the province, Sail Indonesia featuring the beauty of Maluku Province`s Banda Islands, the local administration would spend at least Rp40 billion to prepare the international event.

The estimated cost was disclosed by Director General of Marine Resources and Fishery Surveillance Aji Sularso at the launching of "Sail Indonesia-Sail Banda" here last Wednesday.

The funds came from Maluku`s provinccial budget and from the marine and fishery ministry and coordinating ministry for social welfare, he said, adding the funds totaling Rp12 billion (US$1=Rp9,420) that the Maluku government had pledged would be used to build the needed facilities.

According to him, the marine and fishery ministry, and the coordinating ministry for social welfare had respectively allocated Rp9.5 billion and more than Rp20 billion to support the various events and social activities involving the local people, and for providing fuel to Indonesian navy`s hospital ship, KRI Dr.Suharso, he said.

Meanwhile Marine and Fishery Minister Fadel Muhammad said Sail Banda was aimed at making Ambon city eastern Indonesia`s main tourist gate and promoting the province`s potentials to the world.

The annual event was also expected to attract foreign investors, including from China, said Muhammad, who is also chairman of the Sail Banda national committee.

"Providing people in the coastal areas with medical services is also the objective of Sail Banda. That`s why, the social welfare minister will come to the targeted areas," he said.

Sharing Muhammad`s views, Coordinating Minister for People`s Welfare Agung Laksono said Sail Banda was also expected to boost eastern Indonesia`s economic development.

Sail Banda 2010 (official Website)

"By promoting the natural, cultural and historical heritages that the areas have, we boost the growth of the tourism industry in eastern Indonesia," he said.

In the meantime, Sail Indonesia-Sail Banda committee`s official website said that more than 220 updated brochures had been sent to all the yachts, which had been interested in joining the event.

In 2009, Sail Indonesia-Sail Bunaken in North Sulawesi province was participated in by 133 yachts from dozens of other countries from around the world.

Over the past years, the participating international yachts started sailing to Indonesian waters from Darwin, capital of Australian state of Northern Territory.

This year, as explained in the committee`s official website, the first destination was Banda, 500 miles north of Darwin to participate in a series of events that would be held in Maluku and its capital city of Ambon.

The participating skippers are scheduled to leave Darwin on July 24 at 11 am for Banda Sail. They are welcomed with cultural festivals at the different stopovers across Indonesia on the islands of Timor, Banda, Ambon, Buton, Lembata, Wakatobi, Flores, Sulawesi, Bali, Java, Borneo, Belitung and finally Batam or Bintan islands just south of Singapore.

The peak event of Sail Banda is scheduled on August 3. Banda is famous for the beauty and richness of its deep sea, cultural heritage and historical remains.

In the meantime, Army chief of staff, Gen George Toisutta said the army is set to make a success of Sail Banda as the event is the responsibility of the entire nation.

"This is a national program of international level, so that the Army is also responsible for its success in Maluku," he said in Ambon recently.

Meanwhile, Maluku Culture and Tourism office spokesperson, Florence Sahusilawane said on Thursday that accommodation and human resources should be a top priority to lure large numbers of foreign tourists.

"Human resources is on top of our priority and since October last year we have been familiarizing the people to the remotest villages across the province with the event," Sahusilawane said.

Regarding accommodation such as hotels and inns, Sahusilawane said around 2,700 rooms had been prepared at both star-rated and ordinary ones.

"We will also prepare houses for home stay to anticipate the inability of hotels and inns to accommodate all the tourists," Sahusilawane said, adding that tourist guides involving university students would also be trained in the near future.

"At least 40 students of university and tourism schools will be trained as tour guides but their number is still insufficient for around 6,000 tourists who will be coming to Maluku," she added.

To provide the tourists with tour packages, Maluku Culture and Tourism office will also cooperate with the Association of Indonesian Tour and Travel Agencies (Asita), Indonesian Hotels and Restaurants Association (PHRI), and the Indonesian Tourist Guides Association (HPI).

"We will also prepare special facilities at hotels and other such accommodations for vendors to sell typical souvenirs from Maluku, because Sail Banda 2010 is a good opportunity for us to introduce typical products from the province to the tourists," Sahusilawane said.

Florence was also optimistic about the promotion of Sail Banda in Europe because the Maluku Museum director in the Netherlands, Dr Huib Akihary, had expressed readiness to help promote the event in European countries.

Apart from that, Bank Indonesia (the central bank) of Ambon branch is to open money changing counters and ATM booths in Banda to support the international marine event.

"Bank Indonesia and a number of other banks such as Bank BRI, Bank Central Asia (BCA), and Bank BNI will also provide services for financial transactions in Banda to support the event," spokesman for the Ambon branch of Bank Indonesia Totok Hermianto said in Ambon on Monday.

Totok said that he had discussed the event with the leaders of the banks operating in Ambon and they agreed to open banking service counters in Banda.

"Foreign tourists visiting Banda, as well as the participants of Sail Banda 2010 will find it easy to make financial transactions following the opening of the banking service counters in Banda during the international event," Totok said.

He expressed hope that the promotion of Sail Banda 2010 would be intensified in order to have a good impact on the Maluku economic development.

Meanwhile, Transportation Ministry Air Transportation director general Herry Bakti said his office was ready to support the Sail Banda 2010.

"In principle, the Transportation Directorate General is ready to support the event," he has said in Bandaneira, Banda, Maluku.

The most important thing is to prepare reliable telephone and Internet infrastructure, and this can facilitate communication and telecommunication so that people would not all have to gather in Ambon if they want to promote Banda," he said.

The national shipping company PT Pelni is also ready to help make the Sail Banda a success by sending more ships there.

Bachtiar, head of PT Pelni`s Ambon branch office, said in Ambon that the national shipping company felt it was also its moral responsibility to support the international event.

Meanwhile, General Manager of state-owned airport managing company, PT Angkasa Pura I of Pattimura airport branch office, Gerits Mailesun said that several airline companies such as Lion Air, Batavia, Sriwijaya and Wings have expressed readiness to provide excellent services to the participants of the international maritime events which will involve an estimated 5,000 people.

Related Articles:

Sail Banda 2010 (official Website)

Indonesia officially launches "Sail Banda"

Post-conflict Ambon set to host international yacht rallies

Sail Banda projected to attract 6,000 tourists

Maluku community in Netherlands to help promote "Sail Banda 2010"

More articles related to Maluku ....

Indonesia Admits People-Smuggling Role

Jakata Globe, February 07, 2010

Government officials have acknowledged that Indonesian citizens are continuing to play a role in smuggling people to Australia.

On Sunday, Teguh Wardoyo, a director at a Foreign Affairs Ministry unit tasked with protecting the nation’s citizens overseas, admitted that many Indonesians were still involved in people smuggling, in particular to the country’s southern neighbor.

The admission follows the charging by an Australian court on Friday of an Indonesian for allegedly smuggling people into the country.

According to a statement released by the Australian Federal Police, the man faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in jail and/or a fine of 220,000 Australian dollars ($109,036).

“The AFP charged the man with one count of facilitating the bringing of non-citizens into Australia” of five or more people, the statement said.

Teguh said that the ministry had been assisting the man in the Western Australian city of Perth, but said they could not interfere with the ongoing legal process the man was facing.

“We have to respect the legal process in Australia,” he said.

The man was detained on Nov. 14 last year when the vessel he was on was blocked by a Royal Australian Navy patrol boat operating under the control of the Customs and Border Protection Command, southwest of Ashmore Reef.

Over the past three years, Australian patrol boats have stopped at least seven boats filled with asylum seekers. The latest was carrying 181 passengers and four crew members.

As in previous cases, the passengers of the captured boats were transported to Australian Immigration’s detention center on Christmas Island where they underwent security, identity and health checks, as well as interviews to establish their reasons for wanting to enter Australia.

The Indonesian Consulate in Perth said the boats bringing asylum seekers to Australia were often captained and manned by Indonesians.

According to its Web site, AFP has charged 94 people, including a number of Indonesians, for human trafficking offenses since September 2008.

An Australian Embassy spokeswoman said Australian Ambassador for People Smuggling Peter Woolcott had visited Jakarta last week in an effort to increase cooperation between the two countries in tackling the problems of human trafficking.

The spokeswoman said that during the visit, Woolcott met with the Foreign Affairs Ministry and immigration officials, as well as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and the International Organization for Migration. 

JG, Antara

Indonesian Greenpeace Calls For Fair Trial For Whaling Activists in Japan

Jakarta Globe, February 08, 2010

A small group of Greenpeace activists have held a protest outside the Japanese Embassy in the Indonesian capital to call for a fair trial for two fellow activists.

Greenpeace campaigner Hikmat Soeriatanuwijaya says the activists were arrested in 2008 in connection with their efforts to uncover alleged corruption in Japan’s whaling program. Their trial is scheduled to begin next week in Japan.

Japanese police arrested the two on suspicion of stealing whale meat the environmentalists said had been illegally siphoned by whalers from government-backed hunts.

Soeriatanuwijaya said Monday that the arrested activists did nothing wrong and called on Japan to give them a fair trial.

AP

Galapagos sea lions head for warm Peru waters

BBC News, Lima, By Dan Collyns

Galapagos sea lions are unique to the archipelago

A colony of sea lions endemic to the Galapagos Islands have moved 1,500km away, a Peru-based organisation which monitors the aquatic mammals has said.

The Organisation for Research and Conservation of Aquatic Animals says the sea lions have swum to northern Peru because of rising temperatures.

They says the temperature rise was caused by climate change.

Experts say it is the first time that Galapagos sea lions have set up a colony outside the islands.

The monitors say the water temperature in Piura, off the coast of northern Peru, has risen from 17C to 23C over the last 10 years.

The temperature is much closer to the sea temperature around the Galapagos Islands, which averages about 25C.

Now that the conditions of the sea around northern Peru are so similar to the Galapagos, they say, even more sea lions and other new marine species could start arriving.

Like so many native species in the Galapagos Islands, the sea lions are unique to the archipelago, located about 600 miles west of continental Ecuador.

Ever since the English naturalist, Charles Darwin, first visited the islands more than 150 years ago, they have become known as a living museum of evolution.

Now, thanks to global warming, that unique ecosystem could face unprecedented changes.

BPMigas Seeks Cabotage Exemption for Some Foreign-Owned Oil and Gas Ships

Jakarta Globe, Yessar Rossendar, February 07, 2010

Seismic Vessels

Upstream oil and gas regulator BPMigas is seeking to make certain high-tech foreign vessels rented by oil and gas companies exempt from restrictions on domestic shipping set to be implemented next year.

BPMigas deputy chairman Hardiono said on Friday that the regulator had asked the Ministry of Transportation for an exemption because oil and gas companies were concerned that domestic shipping companies would not be able to meet their needs for such high-tech vessels, and that this would curtail investment in the vital sector. The ships in question, rig and seismic vessels, are typically rented from foreign-owned shipping companies for six months or less.

Since 2005, the government has been gradually implementing cabotage, a ban on foreign-owned ships carrying goods between ports in Indonesia, to boost the underdeveloped domestic shipping industry.

The final phase of its implementation will come into force in January next year, requiring oil and gas companies to use only domestically owned ships.

However, Sunaryo, the Transportation Ministry’s director general of sea transportation, said the ministry was unlikely to grant any exemptions to the cabotage rules. He said there was still time for local companies to buy the high-tech vessels or for foreign shipping companies to transfer the vessels to Indonesian owners.

“I encourage the local shipping companies to buy the high-tech vessels,” Sunaryo said.

Hardiono said several oil and gas companies had expressed concern about the potential difficulties of renting high-tech vessels from domestic companies. “Two out of four investors in the Kangean oil and gas block off Madura have pulled back from their plans to invest in the block” because of their concerns, he said.

Because rig and seismic vessels are typically only used for short time periods, and are rented to companies all over the world, it would be inefficient for Indonesian shipping companies to buy them, Hardiono said. However, BPMigas supported the introduction of cabotage rules for other types of ships in the oil and gas industry, he added.

Johnson W Sutjipto the head of the Indonesian National Ship Owners Association said domestic companies did not have enough rig and seismic vessels to service the oil and gas industry.

However, he said they would invest in these vessels because of the huge potential in the oil and gas sector.

“I’m optimistic that the vessels will be available in time, so that it will not slow down investment,” he said.

President asks TNI to help people live in prosperity

Antara News, Sunday, February 7, 2010 17:47 WIB

Pesawaran, Lampung (ANTARA News) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has expressed hope that the presence of National Defense Forces (TNI) personnel in many parts of the country can help local people enjoy living in prosperity.

The president made the statement when visiting the Marine Corps forces social activities at the Clara beach, Pesawaran district, Lampung province, Sunday.

"A Marine unit has been established in this region. I hope the Marine unit can work well to improve the community welfare," Yudhoyono said.

During the social service, the Marine corps also provided local people with free health checks by opening a moving hospital equipped with a patients operating room.

"I hope this social service can create good friendship (between the TNI) and the citizens. So please use it well to help the patients," the president said.

President Yudhoyono who on the occasion wore Army green dress also witnessed the Rubber Duck operation demonstration held by the Marines forces on the beach.

A moment earlier, the president witnessed the first demonstration of combat shooting by using three tankfib PT-76s, the shootings by two BVP-2s, by two Howitser 105s and by two RM 70 Grad rockets.

Caligi was used as a Combat Training Center for Marine Corps frogmen command forces.

President Yudhoyono landed at Caligi beach in Padang Cermin subdistrict, Pesawaran district, Lampung province, on an amphibious combat vehicle of the LVT-7 series to observe the Marine Corps exercise.

The president used the amphibious combat vehicle which was carried by the warship (KRI) Surabaya-591 that anchored around two km from the beach.

President Yudhoyono and his entourage on board KRI Surabaya-591 left Merak seaport in Banten province on Saturday night for Lampung.

The amphibious combat vehicle with code number 1 which brought the president was on the fourth order of the Marines vehicle landing process in attacking a simulated enemy force at Caligi Beach.

Indonesia to host UN environment forum in Bali

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Sun, 02/07/2010 1:46 PM

Indonesia will host the 11th Special Session of the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Program/Global Ministerial Environment Forum in Nusa Dua, Bali between Feb. 20 and Feb. 26, says a government official.

Foreign Minister spokesman Soehardjono Sastromihardjo said that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will open the forum.

“Around 100 ministers and 1,200 participants of UN members, environmentalists and activists worldwide will take part in the event,” Soehardjono said in a statement as quoted by tempointeraktif.com.

Indonesia would raise ocean issues in the week-long talks to follow up the results in the World Ocean Conference, which was held in Manado, North Sulawesi last year, he added. (nkn)

Naming islands not a simple issue

Yemris Fointuna, The Jakarta Post, Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara | Fri, 02/05/2010 11:15 PM

No less than 300 unnamed islands in East Nusa Tenggara province may soon be wiped from maps due to conflicts regarding their names, officials say.

Head of the provincial secretariat administrative office, Ricard Djami said residents held differences on the right names for unnamed islands.

“Some residents want islands named after their ancestors but others want them named after certain animals,” he said Friday. “These differences slow down the process of naming the islands.”

He said the administration would take the residents’ wishes into account and would work hard to meet the central government’s target to name all unnamed islands.

In the coming months, a team from the provincial and regency administrations will start encouraging people to agree on names for the unnamed islands, he added.

“Once the islands are given names the list will be sent to the UN to ensure legal recognition and to make sure no conflict occurs regarding the naming,” Ricard said.

Indonesian charged with people smuggling offenses

Antara News, Saturday, February 6, 2010 09:49 WIB

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Australian Federal Police (AFP) had charged an Indonesian man with people smuggling offenses after allegedly facilitating the arrival of 50 people to Australia.

The AFP statement that ANTARA obtained here Friday said the 50-year-old man who allegedly violated Section 232A of Australia`s Migration Act 1958 appeared in Perth Magistrates Court.

The man whose name and his province of origin were not publicly published arrived on 14 November 2009 on a vessel that was intercepted by the Royal Australian Navy patrol boat HMAS Broome on the waters of south west of Ashmore Island.

"The maximum penalty for people smuggling offenses is 20 years imprisonment and/or a 220,000 Australian dollar fine," the AFP said.

Since September 2008, the AFP has charged 94 people with people smuggling offenses. Indonesian skippers are among the suspects and verdicts.

The people smuggling issue has brought Indonesia and Australia`s cooperation closer.

Australian Ambassador for People Smuggling Peter Woolcott had even visited Jakarta on Thursday and Friday for strengthening the two countries` cooperation in the war on human trafficking.

Spokesperson of the Australian Embassy in Jakarta Jenny Dee told ANTARA that during his short visit, Ambassador Woolcott met Indonesian foreign ministry and immigration`s officials and those of the UNHCR and International Organization for Migration.

However, Dee downplayed the possibility that Ambassador Woolcott would specifically talk about the Sri Lankan asylum seekers who refuse to disembark from their wooden ship in Merak, Banten Province.

The case of the Sri Lankans stuck in Merak was an Indonesian government affair, she said.

More than 200 Sri Lankan Tamils had failed to reach Australian waters after an Indonesian patrol boat intercepted their wooden ship in the Sunda Strait on Oct 10, 2009.

The matter had drawn the attention of both the government and media in the two countries.

Over the past three years, Australia has been continually bugged by the arrivals of asylum seeker boats in its waters.

As per February 4, 2010, Australian patrol boats had captured at least seven boatloads of asylum seekers.

The latest vessel was captured by HMAS Larrakia, operating under the control of Australia`s Border Protection Command, on February 1. It brought 181 passengers and four crew members.

The Australian government has consistently categorized people smuggling as a global and regional problem.

The UNHCR 2008 Global Trends report said that there were 42 million forcibly displaced persons worldwide at the end of 2008, including 15.2 million refugees.

As in the previous cases, the passengers of the captured boats were transported to the Australian Immigration`s detention center on Christmas Island to undergo security, identity and health checks as well as their reasons for travel established.

The Indonesian Consulate in Perth noted that there were a number of Indonesians among the captains and crew members of the boats bringing asylum seekers to Australia.

Main Indonesian Port Tanjung Priok to Get Rp2.7t Revamp

Jakarta Globe, Yessar Rosendar, February 05, 2010

State-owned port operator PT Pelindo II plans to invest Rp 2.7 trillion ($286.2 million) to improve infrastructure at Tanjung Priok port.

The investment is part of a five-year plan to modernize Tanjung Priok, the country’s main port, and cut costs in half.

Pelindo II president director Richard J Lino told the Jakarta Globe late on Thursday that the company would spend Rp 1.5 trillion on new equipment, with the rest going toward redesigning the docks and purchasing stronger cranes. Richard said the goal was to reduce the time ships were required to remain docked from three to four days currently to two days.

Richard said PT Jakarta International Container Terminal would spend Rp 1.6 trillion to improve infrastructure facilities at its adjacent terminal this year.

JICT announced in December that it had secured a $70 million syndicated loan from the International Finance Corporation, the lending arm of the World Bank, and HSBC to help boost capacity at its Tanjung Priok terminal. JICT is jointly owned by Hong Kong’s Hutchison Port Holdings and state-owned port operator PT Pelabuhan Indonesia II. Its Tanjung Priok terminal handles an estimated 30 percent of the country’s container volume.

The government has set a goal of developing an international-standard regional port. Richard is pushing for Tanjung Priok to be that port, despite its limitations. It has been hampered by limited capacity and inefficient operations, including poor road access.

Its current capacity is only 600 containers per hour, about two-thirds of the volume projected for next year.

RI demands compensation over Aussie oil leak

Lilian Budianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Fri, 02/05/2010 10:57

Indonesia will file a demand to Australia asking for compensation after the latter’s oil rig leaked in Indonesian territory in Timor Sea, says the Indonesian Ambassador to Australia, Primo Alui Joelianto.

Primo said the demand would be submitted Feb. 22 when a team led by the Foreign Ministry visited Canberra.

“We are still finalizing details to ensure the amount accurately compensates for the destruction we have encountered,” Primo told The Jakarta Post at the sidelines of an ambassadors’ on meeting in Jakarta on Thursday.

The crude oil spill in the Timor Sea occurred August last year when an oil platform in the Australian Montara oil field exploded, spilling around 500,000 liters, or about 1,200 barrels of crude oil each day.

The accident has impacted on the environment and the income and health of fishermen in East Nusa Tenggara province.

“We have a strong legal standing given the extent of damage it has caused, and may continue to cause, to our country,” Primo said. “The compensation demand has a basis in international law and it will not affect our relations with Australia.”

The Australian government said last year it would respond to the incident according to international law, including launching an inquiry into the accident. The inquiry will conclude its report in April.

“To ensure that environmental impacts from the oil spill are understood and appropriately addressed in the long-term, a robust, scientific monitoring plan has been agreed between the Australian government and the company responsible for the wellhead platform,” it said.