The Port Master Plan Preparation Technical Guidance event held by the Ministry of Transportation and the Directorate General of Sea Transportation was attended by various relevant stakeholders. The event aimed to show how important it is to make a port master plan as a strategic step to ensure efficient and sustainable port management.

Muhammad Masyhud, Director of Ports, emphasized how important ports are to the country's economy. Ports serve as economic hubs that drive regional growth and as gateways for international trade. As a result, creating a port master plan is considered an important step to ensure sustainable and efficient port management.

"The preparation of the Port Master Plan is a crucial step in effective port management. The Port Master Plan not only supports port spatial arrangements that are integrated with national policies but also guides port operators in optimizing operations, improving efficiency, and addressing evolving maritime challenges," he said. 

Essential Foundation for Port Development

Muhammad Masyhud explained that the Port Master Plan is an important planning document for every port. In addition to showing the port's spatial arrangement that is integrated with national policies, the Port Master Plan is also a guide for port operators to optimize operations, improve efficiency, and address emerging maritime challenges.

The Port Master Plan is a document that every port must have as a basis for port development and construction. This document is made based on precise and careful calculations and projections.

"The right port master plan can support port operators in developing long-term development strategies, infrastructure planning, coordination between stakeholders, environmental considerations, regulatory compliance, and financial planning," he explained.

Muhammad Masyhud stated that of the 636 port locations in the National Port Master Plan (RIP), only around 73% have RIP documents. The Ministry of Transportation issued a Circular Letter of the Director General of Sea Transportation Number SE/DJPL-14 of 2024 concerning the acceleration of the preparation of port master plans at ports held by port operators within the Directorate General of Sea Transportation.

"The preparation of the Port Master Plan is not only the responsibility of the government but also requires support from the Port Business Entity. Therefore, the technical guidance this time is focused on increasing the competence and capacity of the human resources of the main KSOP technical team and business entities with material covering various important aspects in the preparation of the plan," he said.

It is hoped that strong collaboration among stakeholders will help overcome the challenges and difficulties that arise during the Port Master Plan development process to achieve the common goal of having an efficient, sustainable, and highly competitive port.

This Technical Guidance aims to improve the competence and capacity of the Technical Team of the Main KSOP and Port Business Entity. It includes material on simulating the preparation of the Port Master Plan and how to integrate it with policies and regulations.

"In the process of developing this port master plan, we are of course faced with various challenges and complexities. However, I believe that with strong collaboration between stakeholders, both from the government and the private sector, we can overcome these challenges and achieve our common goal of having an efficient, sustainable, and highly competitive port."

Muhammad Masyhud hopes that the Technical Guidance for the Preparation of the Port Master Plan can help the structuring and development of ports in Indonesia, especially on how to make good port development planning through the Port Master Plan.