ASIATODAY.ID, JAKARTA – The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has approved the designation of Nusa Penida and Gili Matra Islands in the Lombok Strait as a Particularly Sensitive Sea Area (PSSA).
Director of Shipping and Maritime Affairs, Director General of Sea Transportation, Indonesian Ministry of Transportation, Hendri Ginting said that the IMO approval was conveyed at the 82nd Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) meeting, which was held at IMO Headquarters in London from Monday, September 30 to Friday , October 4, 2024.
“Quite a number of countries expressed their intervention and support for MEPC Document 82/12, and none expressed objections. “In the future, our struggle to designate Nusa Penida and Gili Matra Islands as PSSA can go well,” said Ginting in a statement in Jakarta, Wednesday, October 2 2024.
As head of the delegation, Ginting revealed that the discussion regarding the designation of Nusa Penida and Gili Matra Islands in the Lombok Strait as PSSAs was opened and introduced by the Chair of the Committee as MEPC Document 82/12 on the second day of the Meeting, on Tuesday, October 1 2024.
Ginting added that the discussion on PSSA Nusa Penida and Gili Matra was discussed at the Technical Group (TG) on the Designation of PSSA and Special Area, which was formed specifically to discuss issues related to PSSA and the designation of other special areas. This meeting was attended by representatives of IMO Member Countries, Intergovernmental Organizations (IGO), and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO).
The TG is led by Stephanie Janneh from Togo, and Andrew Birchenough from IMO as Secretary. Ginting also mentioned that at the TG, the Indonesian delegation was represented by a team from the Directorate of Navigation, Legal and KSLN Section, London Transportation Attaché, representatives from the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, and the Sepuluh Nopember Institute of Technology (ITS) Surabaya.
“He delivered a presentation regarding Indonesia’s proposal which was then continued with intensive discussions,” said Ginting.
Ginting explained that the chairman of the technical group meeting said that basically the Technical Group had agreed in principle to establish PSSA on Nusa Penida Island and Gili Matra Islands. However, this matter will be discussed further on the last day of the 82nd MEPC meeting to discuss and determine the draft MEPC Resolution, which will be the basis for implementing PSSA in the two Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).
“The draft MEPC Resolution is planned to be officially adopted at the Closing of the MEPC-82 Session next Friday,” he explained.
The majority of representatives of IMO member countries, explained Ginting, also provided statements regarding their support for Indonesia’s PSSA proposal. These countries include Brazil, Australia, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Mexico, Finland, China, Philippines, Panama, Thailand, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, Italy, Mauritius, Germany, Monaco, Oman, South Africa, Turkey, Qatar, as well as IGO Intertanko, and several other member countries.
Ginting added that the designation of the Nusa Penida Island and Gili Matra Islands in the Lombok Strait as PSSA was a follow-up to the determination of the Lombok Strait TSS in 2019. In Indonesia’s proposal, the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) in the Lombok Strait, which was established by the IMO in 2019 and implemented in 2020, is proposed as Associated Protective Measures (APMs), which is one of the main mechanisms for protecting an area designated as PSSA.
PSSA is one of the initiatives developed by IMO to increase maritime environmental protection, especially in areas that have ecological and socio-economic wealth that are vulnerable to international shipping activities.
“It is important for Indonesia to establish the Lombok Strait PSSA because of the very strategic geographical location of the Lombok Strait,” explained Ginting.
The Lombok Strait is one of the routes in the Indonesian Throughflow (ITF) which carries water masses from the Pacific Ocean to the Indian Ocean apart from via the Ombai Strait and Timor Sea, thus making these waters fertile and rich in nutrients.
The Lombok Strait is also included in the Coral Triangle area (CT) so it is rich in marine biodiversity that needs to be protected. Many well-known and rare marine species are highly vulnerable and sensitive to the impacts of shipping activities.
Ginting further said that with the approval of Indonesia’s proposal, these two regions would become the first regions in Indonesia to be designated as PSSA and could become pilot projects for the designation of other potential areas in Indonesia as PSSA.
“Remembering that the protection of the maritime environment is one of Indonesia’s commitments to preserve its vulnerable areas from the negative impacts of international shipping,” he stressed.
The MEPC-82 meeting was chaired by Harry Conway (Liberia) as Chair 81 and Hanqiang Tan (Singapore) as Vice-Chair and discussed a number of main agendas, including determining elements of action efforts (measures) related to reducing Green House Gas (GHG) emissions.
Apart from that, prevention of marine pollution from ships, energy efficiency from ships, amendments to a number of provisions of the MARPOL Convention, the issue of marine plastic waste, protection of sensitive marine areas (PSSA), as well as issues related to other maritime protection.
The meeting was attended by representatives from IMO member countries, including the Indonesian Government. (AT Network)
Follow Us at Google News and WA Channel