Cruiseships in North Bali

KBRN, Singaraja:

History is made

Celukan Bawang Port made history with the successful berthing of the wide-bodied cruise ship MV Riviera on Wednesday (March 5, 2025). The 239-meter-long vessel symbolizes the port's readiness to transform to welcome large-scale cruise ships.

Port infrastructure development.

Mochammad Imron, General Manager of Pelindo Regional 3 Celukan Bawang Branch, stated that 2025 will be the starting point for port infrastructure development. One of the main steps will be extending the pier and building shelters for cruise ship passengers. "We project a significant 50 percent increase from 2024 to 2025. In 2024, there will be 8 cruise visits, and we project 12 cruise visits in 2025," Imron said on Monday (March 10, 2025).

Construction of a new pier

Currently, the longest pier at Celukan Bawang Port is at Pier 2, with a length of 160 meters, a width of 15 meters, and a draft of 19 meters. The plan is to begin construction of a new pier with double the capacity by mid-year. "Of course, in addition to cruise ships, the pier we will extend will also support cargo ship operations. That's already outlined in our RIP," he said.

Natural depth

Imron emphasized that Celukan Bawang Port has the advantage of natural depth, which is deeper than Benoa Port. "We only lose in pier length; Benoa can even break the record with three cruise ships docked simultaneously. At our pier, the longest cruise ship docked is 238 meters long. We plan to extend the pier by about 100 meters, bringing the total length to 260 meters," he said.

Cruise ships up to 400 meters

With a pier length of 260 meters, Celukan Bawang Port will eventually be able to accommodate cruise ships up to 400 meters. Overall, the port has a large capacity with five piers that can serve various types of vessels, including cargo ships, pioneer vessels, liquid bulk carriers, and TUKS Tonasa. In addition, Pier 3, designated for pioneer vessels, will also be equipped with passenger shelters. "Our focus in 2025 is increasing capacity at all piers, including Pier 1," he said.

Port Master Plan (RIP)

However, port development is still hampered by the unpublished Port Master Plan (RIP), which is currently being processed by the Indonesian Ministry of Transportation. "Our obstacle to port development lies in the RIP. Therefore, we need support from stakeholders, especially the Regent of Buleleng and the Governor of Bali, for the issuance of these recommendations," Imron said.

Ship and Port Facility Security Code

As a port that complies with the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS Code), Celukan Bawang Port also maintains high security standards. "We already have security standards in place, especially for human resources. We have an MoU with the Chief of Police, we have security, and CCTV is available in almost all areas of the port, which is monitored in real time from our control room," he concluded.

Original in Indonesian: https://rri.co.id/daerah/1380708/pelabuhan-celukan-bawang-siap-ekspansi-dermaga-diperpanjang