This end of the year, the plan to bring in a cargo airplane (freighter) to Berau Regency via Kalimarau Airport, East Kalimantan starts to reemerge. If there’s a flight schedule (chartered/regular) of a freighter in Bureau Regency so the hope of economic development in the regency can raise rapidly as reported by benuanta.co.id.

The Bureau Regency is a regency in East Kalimantan province, Indonesia. The capital of the regency is in Tanjung Redeb sub-district.

The Head of Kalimarau Airport, Tanjung Redeb - Ferdinan Nurdin said that his side is currently lobbying the cargo airlines to land their freighters at the first class airport coded BEJ as he said on Monday (27 November 2023).

Ferdinan added, his side is currently only waiting for the data from the Fishery Department and the Agriculture & Livestock Department.

For in a transportation mode, later, will deliver mainly marine and agricultural products in Berau regency to be delivered to another region or even to abroad.

“In the meantime, we still send letters to the related Regional Apparatus Organization (OPD). If I have hold of the data, then I will bring it to the airlines. This is Bureau’s products to be transported to other regions,” he said.

According to Ferdinan, there should be some data to be explained to airlines, for example, our ability to deliver tens of tons in one day.

“There will be customs officers or quarantine officers to do checking in Kalimarau where the goods/packages won’t be unloaded at destination airports,” he said.

Regarding the cost of the cargo itself, the price of a freighter is cheaper than the price of a regular flight is because the focus is only on carrying cargo.

“Yes. My hope is when there is a freighter can increase the economic turnaround in Berau Regency, goods that get in or out can be done faster,” he said.

Copied from prokal.co, the Head of Competitive Strengthening Division, Bureau Regency Fisheries Service - Mrs Dewi, every month, the export is only grouper to Hong Kong.

The reason is that several other seafood commodities cannot be exported directly, due to permits and shipping process constraints. “Why can grouper be exported directly, because ships from Hong Kong take it directly to Maratua Island,” he said.

Maratua Island is the outermost island of Indonesia which is located in the Sulawesi Sea and close to Malaysia’s. Maratua Island is part of the government area of Berau Regency, East Kalimantan province.

Currently, ships from abroad can only dock at a few piers in Indonesia. There are four piers where fish can be loaded, one of which is on Maratua Island. So, several fishermen in East Kalimantan collect grouper on Maratua Island.

“Like from Bontang, or other regions are set together into one shelter in Maratua, more than 10 tons of fish sent to Hong Kong once a month,” he said.

With the freighters planned to land in Berau, Dewi hoped it will ease other marine commodities that will be delivered abroad or other regions.

“Currently, fresh fish are only sent using a van outside the city, the quantity per day can reach more than 10 tons of fish from Berau sent outside the city,” he added.

“The hope is that the existence of cargo freighters will make it easier to send fish or other commodities, of course it will also make it easier for entrepreneurs in the fisheries sector because they can send them more quickly and the fish will be fresh,” he concluded.