Great Idaho Gateway – To connect various regions in Indonesia, including remote and underserved areas, PT ASDP Indonesia Ferry (Persero) has enhanced its pioneer ship services from Sorong to the world-renowned Raja Ampat destination in West Papua to support Indonesian tourism. Shelvy Arifin, Corporate Secretary of PT ASDP Indonesia Ferry (Persero), explained that the development of ferry routes, ports, and supporting infrastructure aims to improve inter-island connectivity in pioneering 3T (underdeveloped, frontier, and outermost) regions, including tourist destinations.
“ASDP’s services, particularly in Eastern Indonesia, are a primary transportation mode for the people of Papua. We have prepared three ships to reach the Raja Ampat archipelago, namely KMP Lema on the Sorong – Waisai route, KMP Terubuk I on the Sorong – Arefi – Pam route, and KMP Kurisi on the Sorong – Serpele route,” Shelvy detailed.
Raja Ampat, an archipelago known for its stunning natural scenery with a series of captivating small islands, can be reach from Sorong using ASDP vessels.
“One popular destination is Waisai Island, which can be reach in about 5 hours from Sorong Port under normal weather conditions,” added Shelvy.
For August, the Sorong to Waisai route will be service by KMP Lema on August 23 at 21:00, August 25 at 08:00, and August 30 at 09:00 local time. KMP Lema has a capacity of up to 196 passengers and can carry up to 26 mixed vehicles. The presence of ASDP’s pioneer ships in various 3T regions, especially in Sorong, helps boost economic growth and regional development not only in Sorong but also in surrounding areas. Through these routes in Indonesia’s easternmost regions, tourists can experience a journey to the world-class Raja Ampat, dubbed “The Last of Paradise.”
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In addition to tourists, the routes are also heavily utilized by traders transporting essential goods and seafood in coolers of various sizes for distribution to different regions. ASDP also operates KMP Terubuk I, which travels the Sorong-Arefi, Arefi-PAM, and Sorong-Lemalas routes to reach Raja Ampat. Departures from Sorong to Arefi are scheduled for August 23 at 20:00 WIT, continuing from Arefi to Pam at 03:00 WIT. As of 2024, ASDP operates on 320 routes, with over 70% being pioneer routes. Supported by 225 vessels, including pioneer and commercial ships, and 87 docks at 27 ASDP branch offices across Indonesia, ASDP’s pioneer segment constitutes the majority of its fleet and routes.
“This indicates ASDP’s commitment to enhancing connectivity and growth in remote areas. As a state-owned enterprise, ASDP plays a crucial role in development by providing pioneer ferry services, including in 3T regions,” Shelvy explained.
Through its pioneering services, ASDP aims to continually support connectivity improvements and deliver tangible benefits to local communities while promoting economic and tourism growth in Indonesia.
BHC will also focus on empowering small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and local communities, reflecting ASDP’s commitment to ensuring that economic benefits are directly fell by local populations.
“We are committ to involving small and medium enterprises as well as local communities in every phase of BHC development. This is our way of ensuring the project has a comprehensive positive impact,” Shelvy added.
Urban planning expert Yayat Supriyatna sees great potential in BHC as a tourist magnet. “Aggressive promotion and attractive travel packages will make BHC a primary destination for various tourist segments, from students to civil servants,” Yayat said.
He also emphasized the importance of creating synergy between the public and private sectors to maximize BHC’s potential. “Cross-sector collaboration is crucial to ensure BHC can attract tourists on a large and sustainable scale,” he concluded.
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