The Ministry of Transportation inaugurated five units of state patrol vessels in West Papua

The Ministry of Transportation (Kemenhub) inaugurated 5 (five) units of state patrol vessels to strengthen the fleet in eastern Indonesia at the Port of Sorong, West Papua, Friday.

The state patrol vessel was symbolically inaugurated by the Director of the Marine and Coast Guard Unit (KPLP) Capt. Mugen S. Sartoto representing the Director General of Sea Transportation.

"The presence of state patrol vessels assigned to the Technical Implementation Unit (UPT) is very important in order to carry out the duties and functions of marine and coastal guarding," said Capt. Mugen.

He explained that these five state patrol vessels are KNP. 379 assigned to KSOP Class I Sorong, KNP. 4005 was placed in KSOP Class III Biak, KN. 5260 were placed in UPP Class III Teminabuan, KN. 5263 were placed in UPP Class III Korido, and KN. 5261 was placed in UPP Class III Bade.

He said, these ships will be used to enforce shipping safety and security regulations, take steps to prevent and control pollution, and assist in search and rescue in the event of a shipping accident in their respective work areas.

According to him, the implementation of the function of guarding and enforcing laws and regulations at sea and on the coast is the mandate of Law Number 17 of 2008 concerning Shipping.

"To carry out this function, it needs to be supported by infrastructure in the form of Marine and Coastal Guard Fleet Bases operating throughout Indonesia as well as the availability of patrol boats and qualified and professional human resources in maintaining shipping safety and security," he said.

Related to these conditions, he continued, the Ministry of Transportation continues to improve facilities and infrastructure, including by building a fleet of state patrol vessels.

With the increase in state patrol vessels, it is hoped that it will further strengthen the existing patrol boat fleet in creating shipping safety, as well as protecting Indonesian seas from all forms of disturbance and threats, as well as preventing and dealing with damage to the marine environment.

Capt. Mugen also asked all ranks of the UPT that have assets of state vessels, to be able to operate, care for and maintain these vessels properly because these ships were built using APBN funds.

In the series of events, the Inauguration of the State Patrol Vessel's crew (ABK) was also carried out as many as 95 crew members from 11 UPTs of the Directorate General of Sea Transportation for the Papua and West Papua Regions.

He advised all crew members of the State Patrol Ship to always carry out their duties with integrity and professionalism.

"Aside from being a security guard and shipping safety, the crew of the State Patrol Vessel is the front guard who carries out law enforcement or law enforcement duties for the benefit of shipping safety," he said.

Meanwhile, the Head of the Sorong Class I KSOP Office, Jece Julita Piris, revealed that this inauguration activity was a follow-up to the receipt of assets according to the Minutes of Handover of Assets of the Five Patrol State Vessels to each recipient UPT.

"On this occasion we also distributed 50 units of Life Jackets to fishermen on Doom Island and 50 units of Life Jackets to fishermen on Raam Island as a form of our support for the enforcement of shipping safety rules," said Jece.

Currently, the number of State Patrol Vessels is 374 units, of which in 2019 - 2022 16 units of State Patrol Vessels have been built and 5 of them are placed in UPT Papua and West Papua regions.

The placement of the 5 (five) state patrol vessels in Papua and West Papua is proof of the seriousness of the Ministry of Transportation to create shipping safety and security in Eastern Indonesia.

Also present at the event were the Head of the Transportation Agency of Sorong City, Commander of Lantamal XIV Sorong, and Pasmar III Sorong, DirPol Airud West Papua, Commander Lanal Biak, Commander Yon Marharlan XIV Sorong, General Manager of PT. Pelindo Sorong Branch, Heads of the UPT Office of the Directorate General of Sea Transportation in West Papua and Papua, representatives of government agencies and stakeholders in the Sorong area.

SOURCE: https://makassar.antaranews.com/berita/429305/kemenhub-meresmikan-lima-unit-kapal-negara-patroli-di-papua-barat