Indonesia is a maritime country. Indonesia’s natural state of islands makes it possible for Indonesia to have many major ports as a center for international trade in the past. Moreover, Indonesia in ancient times is the largest spice-producing country in the world. This makes Indonesia a trade destination for European countries.
Therefore, it is not surprising that Indonesia has many historic ports that are still used today, although some of them are already being damaged and abandoned. Here are some facts of Indonesian historical port.
- The Belawan port which was used the transit of the Deli Port
Before Belawan Port existed, the ships that stop in the North Sumatra region anchored in the Port of Deli owned by the largest kingdom in East Sumatra, Kingdom of Deli. However, Deli River where the Labuhan Deli was located became more swallow and the port was shifted to the banks of the Belawan River.The move took place in 1915. Later, the Old Belawan Dock restored by the Dutch until the length reaches 602 meters with a width of 9-20 meters. Then, in 1938 Belawan port became the largest port in the Dutch East Indies.
- The Old Teluk Bayur Port was Emmahaven Port
This port was formerly called Emmahaven. Built between 1888-1893, once completed, Emmahaven whose name came from Emma Queen it became one of the busiest ports in the East Indies. It was said that until World War II, Bayur Bay became one of the five busiest ports in Indonesia. Bayur Bay which is located about 14 km from downtown Padang it is still operating, although not ass crowd as his prime. Bayur Bay most fitted to the afternoon before sunset.
- The Ampenan Harbor was exist before Lembar Port
Before the Port of Sheet exists, the entrance to Lombok is the Ampenan Port which is located somewhat to the north. The most active period of Ampenan Harbor is around 1948-1950. Now, what’s left of Ampenan’s once bustling city is the old buildings and the little ships that lean against the harbor. Around 1880, Ampenan Port became one of the important ports on domestic and foreign trade routes. The ships from Java Island, Sumatra, Sulawesi, Singapore, China, India, Mauritius Island, and Australia make the Port of Ampenan one of the transit points.
- Paotere Port, the most popular historical port in Makassar
If you have never heard, Port Paotere is 5 km from Makassar city center, South Sulawesi. Paotereberbeda Port with Soekarno-Hatta Port where passenger ships such as Pelni anchored. In Paotere, you can see many traditional boats like pinisi and sandeq moored.
Paotere Port is a relic of the Gowa-Tallo Kingdom from the 14th century. It is said that the name “Paotere” comes from the word pa ‘which means a person and an otere which means rope. Mandar fishermen who used to sell fish here, too long also fix all the farming equipment here, including the rope. The name Paotere survives because the people around the harbor are known as reliable knit ropes.
- The port of Buleleng today is not crowded like used to be
In the early days of Indonesian independence, the capital of the Lesser Sundas Province (now Bali, West Nusa Tenggara and East Nusa Tenggara) is Singaraja. You can imagine how busy the Port of Buleleng which is located about 2.5 km north of Singaraja it. In the Dutch colonial period, the Port of Buleleng became the location of loading and unloading of freight vessels and foreign cruise ships throw anchor.
But since the capital was moved to the south, Denpasar, around 1950, Buleleng Port gradually became lonely. Especially in the present almost every island in the Lesser Sunda Islands have their own dermaganya. Now, the only remaining ex Port of Buleleng. Around the Port of Buleleng, some remains of the Colonial Period still remain, such as the Societeit Building and the bridge connecting East Buleleng and Singaraja City.
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- Makassar was the Ex -historical Port of Spices and Sailing Ship
Formerly called Ujung Pandang, Makassar is the largest city in eastern Indonesia. The capital of South Sulawesi, Makassar has a central location in the Indonesian archipelago and today Makassar is Indonesia’s busy air hub, linking Sumatra, Java, Bali and Kalimantan to the west with Sulawesi, Maluku and Papua in the east.
In fact, since the 14th century Makassar has been known as a thriving seaport where merchant boats from far away China, India, and Cambodia are called regularly for the trade of silk, tea and porcelain in exchange for cloves, nutmeg and pearls from Maluku and gold and forest products from Makassar.
- The Labuhan Lembar as the oldest port in Indonesia
Lembar Port in West Lombok is the entrance to Lombok via sea lane, in addition to Port Kayangan in East Lombok. This port is precisely located in the Village Labuan Tereng, District Lembar, West Lombok regency, about 20 kilometers from the city of Mataram. Lembar Port also serves the crossing of passenger ships (ferry) and freighter from the western and northern regions of Lombok, such as Bali and Makassar. The harbor has three docks, two passenger vessels and one cruise ship dock. The harbor is equipped with a 24-hour ticket counter, a musala, and a spacious waiting room for vehicles to cross.
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- Tanjung Priok as a substitute for Sunda Kelapa Port
Since the port of Sunda Kelapa could not take advantage of the existing opportunities with the opening of the Suez Canal, the Netherlands then sought a new place to develop a new port. The Dutch choice at that time to develop a new port, fell on Tanjung Priok. Tanjung Priok then managed to grow to become the largest port in Indonesia.
Thus, the role of Sunda Kelapa Port replaced with Tanjung Priok Port. Currently, Sunda Kelapa Port only provides services for inter-island vessels in Indonesia. But considering this port has a high historical value, now the port is converted into a historical site. The buildings around the port which is a relic of the Netherlands is now used as a museum.
- Sunda Kelapa
Before the VOC made a fort near Sunda Kelapa, they traded in Banten. But in the long run, they have to move. But not far away, just a little east on the north coast of Java Island.
In that new place, in Sunda Kelapa which used to be the port of the Pajajaran Kingdom, they built the fort as the command center of the VOC business in the East Indies. In the new city Batavia was named, merchandise was collected before being shipped to Europe. Sunda Kelapa became the main port of Batavia until the late 19th century before being moved to Tanjung Priok. Until now, Sunda Kelapa Harbor still exists. If you want to see unique wooden ships, just go there.
- Pulau Onrust was no longer exist
Since Batavia was built in 1610, the now deserted Onrust Island has been used as a naval base (AL). The name of the base of the Navy, surely many dong ship passing here. So many ships that roam the waters of the island of Onrust, local residents who live around here call it Island Ship.
In 1615 the VOC built a ship dock here. But the shipyard was devastated by British attack around 1800. Then, Onrust rebuilt and functioned again as a shipyard. The peak, between the years 1911-1933, Onrust Island so the location of quarantine pilgrims who returned from Mecca. Well, until now the remains of historical stories are still stored in the ruins of old buildings on the island of Onrust. But, unfortunately. The Port of Onrust Island is ravaged by time.
Those are some facts of Indonesian historical port. Although many of them have been left by the people, but you can still learn the history of Indonesian maritime condition in the past by visiting some ports which still exist.