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n international cruise ship port under construction in Tanah Ampo village in Manggis, Karangasem, about 50 kilometers east of the Bali provincial capital of Denpasar, is 20 percent complete, Regent I Wayan Geredeg said Friday.

"This port will become one of the biggest in Southeast Asia," Geredeg said after meeting with Bali Governor Made Mangku Pastika, adding that the port, on which construction began in 2006, was scheduled to become operational by the end of this year.

Of the Rp 97 billion (US$9.7 million) budgeted to build the port, the state is providing Rp 70 billion and the regency administration Rp 22 billion. The Karangasem regency administration also allocated a further Rp 5 billion to procure land for the project in Manggis.

The port will be able to accommodate cruise ships of up to 350 meters in length and of maximum passenger capacity of 5,000, Geredeg said.

"The port is expected to increase the number of foreign tourists to Bali and in particular to Karangasem regency," he said.

"A European cruise firm had promised to send 100 ships per year to the port upon its completion and that Karangasem had been included as a destination by a number of world cruise operators.

Currently, all cruise ships dock at Padang Bai port and passengers must take smaller boats to reach Karangasem.

Governor Pastika said he hoped Tanah Ampo port would help expand Bali's tourist industry.