Countries to help boost sea security

The Jakarta Post   |  Fri, 01/02/2009 8:31 PM  |  National

China, the United States, Germany and Japan will assist in improving the capabilities of Indonesia's Sea Security Coordinating Agency (Bakorkamla) this year.

"The assisting countries will donate grants to Bakorkamla this year," said Bakorkamla executive director Vice Adm. Budhi Hardjo in Jakarta on Friday as quoted by Antara state news agency.

He said China had committed to helping build a sea security satellite while the United States planned to improve the agency's National Picture Computation skills.

"The device is designed to track commercial and foreign vessels passing through Indonesian waters. The NPC can also be used as an early warning system for vessels entering dangerous zones by combining with data from the Meteorology and Geophysics
Agency.

Germany has offered to donate multi-purpose vessels with a capacity of 2,000 tons which will serve not only as patrol boats but also as monitoring and rescue ships.

Budhi said the Japanese government had committed to contributing US$300 million over three years.

"Japan has also donated three patrol boats from the Japanese Coast Guard. Japan will also set up an early warning system at several points as well as provide training for personnel," he said.

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