Ending months of speculation, Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung was quoted as saying that the decision was made to take into account risks to existing infrastructure. The government had originally planned to build a deep sea port at Cilamaya, but it has since been determined that the development might put the existing gas network nearby at risk.
"The construction is expected to kick off in 2017 and the first phase of the construction will be completed in 2019," Pramono said.
The Transportation Ministry conducted feasibility studies assessing six locations in the north coast of West Java and concluded that the Patimbang area was the best possible alternative location.
Transportation Minister Ignasius Jonan said that the planned Patimbang Port, with a planned full operating capacity of 7.5m teu and space for 250,000 vehicles, would need an investment of IDR40trn ($3.2bn). The initial phase however will have a capacity of 1.5m teu.
Meanwhile President Joko Widodo revealed that the government would also build a large port somewhere in Java to ease the burden of old and overcrowded ports, such as Tanjung Priok in North Jakarta, Tanjung Mas in Semarang, Central Java and Tanjung Perak in Surabaya, East Java in addition to the development of new seaports in the eastern part of the country.
"We need a large port in the north coast area of Java to boost transportation efficiency and smoothen logistics. We expect to develop a port with a capacity of approximately 7.5m teu by 2037," Jokowi said.
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