Government to name ports allowed to serve foreign ships

The Transport Ministry will name 25 ports this week which will be allowed to serve ships engaged in international shipping, reducing the number from 141 at present, Asia Pulse reported. The decision is aimed at reducing room for smuggling or illegal trading, said Sea Transport Director General Effendi Batubara. Indonesia has 977 general seaports and 141 of them are still open for ships serving international shipping. The country also has 565 special ports which are almost all open for international ships. The 25 ports are located in various islands - two in Sulawesi, five in Java and Sumatra each, four in Kalimantan and Papua each and one each in East Nusatenggara, Bali, Maluku and Batam. Exports or imports via the remaining 166 general ports will have to be made via the 25 ports, said Batubara. (http://www.ekon.go.id/)