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Navy finishes dismantling Tangerang sea fence
Navy Marine Force commander Brig. Gen. Hermanto said that as of Thursday morning, Navy personnel had dismantled more than 28 kilometers of the sea fence and expected to remove the remaining section by the end of the day.
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Indonesian Navy personnel remove a fence in waters off Tangerang regency, Banten, on Jan. 22, 2025. The Navy, together with the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry, local authorities and fishermen, have dismantled the 30-kilometer bamboo sea fence installed in Tangerang regency. (Antara/Muhammad Iqbal)
T
he Indonesian Navy has finished taking down a controversial sea fence off the coast of Tangerang, Banten, after more than three weeks of work.
Navy Marine Force commander Brig. Gen. Hermanto said that as of Thursday morning, Navy personnel had dismantled more than 28 kilometers of the sea fence and expected to remove the remaining section by the end of the day.
"God willing, we're going to finish the work today. We have [just over] 1 kilometer left. We will be able to wrap up today considering that the weather is good," Hermanto said, as quoted by kompas.com.
Hermanto said the Navy had missed the target of finishing the work in 10 days because of multiple challenges, including bad weather, strong currents and high waves.
The senior Navy officer also claimed the sea fence had been very securely built, with some pilings reaching a depth of 2 meters, complicating the dismantling work.
"Some of our personnel were injured. Some were stung by stingrays, pierced by fishing hooks or cut by sharp bamboo," Hermanto said.
The Navy launched the dismantling operation in mid-January to great fanfare. The sea fence was alleged to have been built in the process of reclaiming land for a real estate project.
The 30-kilometer-long barrier spanning six districts of Tangerang went viral in January because of its unexplained origin, sparking a debate about the issue of unlicensed land reclamation.
The Agrarian and Spatial Planning Ministry late last month revoked some 50 land use permits in the area, including those for plots in Kohod village.
The ministry also fired six of its officials, mostly those holding key positions at the Tangerang Land Agency at the time the permits were issued.
