(6/2/2008)
As reported on balidiscovery.com, construction is well underway on a new cruise port at Amuk in the Karangasem Regency of East Bali. The central government in Jakarta recently spent Rp. 20 billion (US$2.2 million) adding to Rp. 10 billion (US$1.1 million) disbursed in 2007 to help build the pier and supporting facilities covering a 3.5 hectare site.
The total project cost is estimated at Rp. 70 billion (US$7.6 million) with an anticipated completion date of 2009.
Because of the lack of a large, dedicated cruise port in Bali, most cruise vessels visiting Bali are currently required to drop anchor off Bali's East Coast and then shuttle passengers ashore in smaller tenders.
Size Does Matter - 180 meter Long Pier
According to figures published by Nusa Bali, when completed in 2009 the Amuk berth will only be 180 meters long with a draft of 12 meters. 60 meters of the berthing facility is already in hand, an additional 77 meters will come on line in 2008 and the remaining 43 meters set for completion in 2009.
If the 180 meter pier length figure is correct, a great many of the international cruise ships currently calling on Bali will still be unable to come alongside.
At only 180 meters, the Bali Amuk berthing bays will be sufficient to accommodate only small and medium-sized ships in a cruise market increasingly dominated by larger mega-vessels.
Related Article
[Cruise Ships to Run Amuk in East Bali]
© Bali
Discovery Tours. Articles may be quoted and reproduced
if attributed to http://www.balidiscovery.com.
