State-owned port operator PT Pelindo III expects to facilitate 153 cruise ship landings in 2019.

“The number is based on our records, though it may change along the way,” operations and commercial director Putut Sri Mulianto of Pelindo III said on Monday in Surabaya, East Java, reported kompas.com.

He said that Benoa Port in Bali topped the list with 75 arrivals, followed by 17 arrivals at Lembar Port in West Nusa Tenggara, and 16 arrivals at Tanjung Emas Port, Central Java.

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Putut said security was the main issue among cruise ship operators, and that out of the 149 planned arrivals last year, 138 cruise ships called at its ports across the country.

He attributed the decline to the bombings in Surabaya and Sidoarjo as well as the natural disasters that struck West Nusa Tenggara.

Pelindo III planned to share new features at its port facilities with cruise ship operators, including improvements at Benoa Port and the Gilimas Terminal at Lembar Port. For example, it had deepened the waterways at Benoa Port from a previous low water spring (LWS) of 11 meters to 13 meters.

It was also making improvements to passenger terminal facilities and capacities.

“Before, large vessels of more than 250 meters could only dock outside the port, but with the revitalization, they can now dock at the berths. This will certainly add interest in cruise ship [tourism], as safety and comfort is guaranteed,” said Putut.

Pelindo III corporate secretary Faruq Hidayat said that improving port facilities was the company’s contribution to achieving the national target of 20 million foreign tourist arrivals in 2019.

“At least 88,778 foreign passengers arrived on international cruise ships that called at ports operated by Pelindo III in 2017, and 125,218 arrived in 2018,” he said. (wng)