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North Sumatra’s Belawan port gears up for Idul Fitri exodus
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Belawan port in North Sumatra is seen in this undated photograph. (Kompas.com/Mei Leandha)
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tate-run port operator Pelabuhan Indonesia I (Pelindo I) has revamped Belawan port’s passenger terminal in North Sumatra and is set to provide free buses to and from major bus terminals in the province before Idul Fitri.
The port now had an overall cleaner environment and featured a VIP room and skybridge, Pelindo I president director Bambang Eka Cahyana said on Wednesday.
"Why not have a seaport that has service standards as high as an airport? Port customers come from the lower to middle-income bracket. When are they going to enjoy the results of development if it does not start with state-owned companies like ours?" he asked at the Jakarta stock exchange.
Belawan port serves domestic routes and connections to and from Malaysia and is used mostly by Indonesian workers and tourists. Pelindo I operates four free buses connecting the port with major bus terminals like Pinang Baris and Amplas. It plans to have a total of eight buses in operation in the first week of July.
The passenger terminal revamp cost less than Rp 60 billion (US$4,5 million), according to Bambang. (rbk)
