Team to carry out feasibility study on Pangkalbalam Port

Pangkalpinang, Bangka-Belitung (Antaranews Babel) - The provincial administration of Bangka Belitung will form a team to carry out the feasibility of the port of Pangkalbalam, under the program to increase inter-island trade.

"Soon, we together with the Transport Ministry will see how feasible the port of Pangkalbalam," head of the regional transport service of Bangka Belitung K.A Tajuddin said here on Wednesday.

Tajuddin said the team will evaluate the facility in the passenger terminal, cargo loading and unloading, mooring place for ships, and provision of compiling square for goods to be loaded and to be unloaded in the port.

"In the event of the port is no longer feasible, the government will find an alternative," he said.

He said this year, the provincial administration will look for a suitable location for a new port to be built to replace the port of Pangkalbalam.

"Currently we together with the Transport Ministry will carry out a survey for the right location for the port replacement," he said.

He said the port of Pangkalbalam has served as the gate of the people`s economy in Bangka, as almost 90 percent of the people`s essential goods are supplied via the port.

In addition, exports of various commodities such as white pepper, palm oil, rubber and tin bars also made via the port of Pangkalbalam.

"If this port is no longer feasible and could no longer handle growing ships visiting the port and cargo loading and unloading the effect would bad for the economy of the province," he said.