T

he governor of East Java says the province will build four ports by 2013 — and promises that the province’s output will soon top Jakarta’s.

The seaports will be built in Lamongan, Gresik, Probolinggo and Banyuwangi and were expected to increase provincial exports, which topped US$4.5 million in the first quarter of 2011, up 30.84 percent from $3.4 million in the same period last year.

East Java Governor Soekarwo said boosting exports would spur the province’s economic growth rate, which was 6.7 percent in 2010, higher than the national economic growth rate of 6.1 percent.

“I have targeted that by 2013 East Java’s gross regional product will be higher than Jakarta, so much so that the President may have his office in Jakarta, but the heart of economy remains in East Java,” he told the audience of a workshop on East Java’s infrastructure in Surabaya recently.

Soekarwo said that according to investors East Java had bright prospects and a great potential for
development when compared to Jakarta, which was crowded and congested.

“For investors, I don’t only ensure them security and ease in investing in East Java. The administration is also improving and building a number of supporting facilities and facilitating licensing for investment,” he said.

Soekarwo said the province’s licensing process would be on par with Singapore’s and that foreign investors would be soon be able to get licenses in 17 days, as opposed to 78 days previously.

The provincial administration has also provided investors with adequate land, manpower and power.

Soekarwo said the province could supply 6,330 megawatts (MW)from the Grati, Paiton, Paiton Baru, Gresik, Madura and Pacitan steam power plants.

East Java’s peak power load was 3,820 MW in 2010, with a surplus of 810 MW. Its power surplus is expected to reach 2,100 MW in 2011 and 2,730 MW in 2012.

The administration also promised to support the construction of Bojonegoro Airport in Kalitudu, Bojonegoro regency.

The airport, which will be built by ExxonMobil on a 250-hectare plot, will have a 2,500 meter-long runway that can accommodate large jets such as the Boeing 737-400.

Once complete in 2012, the airport will join eight others in the province, including Bawean Island Airport, Gresik regency; Jombang Airport in Ponggok, Jombang regency; Juanda International Airport in Surabaya; Abdurrahman Saleh Airport in Malang; Notohadinegoro Airport in Jember; Blimbingsari Airport in Banyuwangi; TNI Iswahyudi Airport in Madiun; and the Trunojoyo airfield in Sumenep.

The administration said it would also build container ports at Socah and Teluk Lamong for Rp 2.8 trillion and Rp 3.5 trillion respectively, as part of Surabaya’s Tanjung Perak Port expansion program.