REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, KENDARI -- The Minister of Transportation, Ignatius Jonan, inaugurated on Monday nine seaports in three provinces of North Sulawesi, South Sulawesi and Central Sulawesi, with the inaugural ceremony centered in Bungkutoko port in Kendari, Southeast Sulawesi.

"Of the 35 ports that we've built throughout Indonesia in 2015, 21 are located in Sulawesi Island, including the 12 ports in North Sulawesi which I inaugurated yesterday," Jonan said in his speech.

He said the construction of sea ports in Sulawesi was part of the efforts to realize the sea toll program and the Nawacita (the nine priority agenda) Program initiated by the government of President Joko Widodo.

"The seaport supports the national maritime development program in order to keep under control the prices of goods. Also, the ports help connect people. The sea toll system will start operating by the end of May 2016, with the lane of Makassar, Tahuna, Lirung to Halmahera becoming operational," the minister said.

The Acting Director General of Sea Transportation, the Ministry of Transportation, Umar Aris, said the nine ports inaugurated today include Bungkutoko (Kendari), Baubau (Baubau city), Wanci (Wakatobi), Molawe (North Konawe district) and Maligano (Muna district).

The four other ports are Kalukalukuang (Pangkep) and three ports in Central Sulawesi, namely Parigi (Parigi Moutong district), Ogoamas and Malala in Toli-Toli.

The Southeast Sulawesi Governor, Nur Alam, hoped the ports can support the development programs and bring benefits to the local people.

"The Ministry of Transport pays serious attention to build sea transportation infrastructure in the Sulawesi Island," he said.

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