Karangasem Government Finds Funding to Keep Sea Link to its Island Territory Open.
(9/20/2008) The termination of RoRo ferry service between Padang Bai and Nusa Penida Island as reported by balidiscovery.com, [See: The Dire Straits Between Bali and Nusa Penida], may come to an end this week as the Regional Government of Bali's province of Karangasem has ordered the idle ferry back into service.
The head of the Karangasem Transportation Office, Nengah Becik, has contacted the government contracted ship operator PT Palmars Surabaya to remobilize its crew and restart the regular run over the narrow straits between Bali and the neighboring island of Nusa Penida.
Local press reports say the crew is conducting a review of the vessel which has been laid-up for nearly a week and may resume operations as early as September 20, 2008.
Local press reports say that in the one week of suspended operations the cost of basic commodities on Nusa Penida have risen dramatically.
The vessel cost Rp. 18 billion (US$2 million) to build and requires a Rp. 170 million (US$18,500) subsidy each month from the Karangasem government to sustain operations.
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