Indonesia has begun redevelopment of the Kejawanan fishing port in Cirebon, West Java, with plans to almost double vessel capacity and lift annual fish landings nearly sixfold, according to Indonesia’s Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries.
The ministry broke ground on the first phase of the IDR 459 billion (USD 25.6 million, EUR 22.4 million) Integrated Fishing Port and International Fish Market project on 17 September. The project is being developed with support from the Islamic Development Bank and is expected to take about two years to complete.
The ministry said the port currently has capacity for 241 vessels, which is expected to rise to 500 after the upgrade. Annual fish landings are projected to increase to 32,000 metric tons (MT) from about 5,600 MT.
Non-tax state revenue generated by fisheries activities at the port is forecast to increase to IDR 53 billion (USD 3 million, EUR 2.6 million) a year from IDR 15 billion (USD 838,000, EUR 731,000), while employment at the port is expected to rise to about 8,000 people from around 2,900, according to the ministry.
The redevelopment will add more piers, including dedicated piers for traditional fishing vessels, as well as a fish auction facility equipped with a modern wastewater treatment system. Plans also include fisheries business areas, a service building for certification-related services, and coastal protection structures, including groins, revetments, and breakwaters.
Indonesia Marine Affairs and Fisheries Minister Sakti Wahyu Trenggono said the project aims to address congestion at the port and improve the productivity and competitiveness of the capture fisheries sector.
Islamic Development Bank representative Anisa Pratiwi added that the project intends to support a more integrated fisheries value chain and improve links between fish landing, processing, logistics, and market access.
The Kejawanan redevelopment project is the latest modernization initiative launched in the Indonesian fishing sector. Earlier this year, the Southeast Asian nation announced plans to build 1,582 new fishing vessels as part of efforts to raise national fisheries productivity.
Elsewhere, under the Red and White Fishing Villages initiative, Indonesia outlined plans to modernize select coastal communities by improving production capacity, post-harvest handling, and market access.
