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ozens of luxury cruise ships are not docking at the Tanah Ampo port in Karangasem, East Bali, because the facility remains unfinished.

The port is 65 kilometers east of Denpasar.

Bali Transportation Agency head Made Santa said Tuesday that 33 cruise ships carrying a total of 45,000 passengers were registered to disembark at the port in 2011. “I don’t think that will happen with the current facilities,” Santa said.

President Susilo Bambang Yu-dhoyono had promised to allocate Rp 200 billion (US$22.6 million) from the central government to support the construction of a cruise jetty at the port during his visit to the regency last year.

But, the construction of the cruise jetty, projected to be the biggest cruise port in Indonesia, has been postponed due to a funding shortage.

“I will follow up on [the regent of Karangasem’s] request. The construction fund will be my priority,” the President said.

SBY made the promise of funds after the Karangasem regent asked him to support a tourism facility in the area at the opening ceremony of the Karangasem  Broodstock Center in Karangasem,  Bali.

The President said he hoped the project could proceed as it would contribute to Bali’s economic development.

Bali Governor I Made Mangku Pastika said he was certain the President would approve the Rp 200 billion in funds.

The construction of Tanah Ampo was begun at a cost of Rp 104 billion. The port has a 154-meter-long docking terminal for larger cruise ships.

Ida Bagus Lolec, a businessman working in cruise tourism, said Bali still lacks good planning and execution of international projects.

“Before building a cruise port the authority must conduct a feasibility study on the condition of the site and the types of cruises that will dock at least two years prior to the construction,” Lolec said.