REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, PORSEA -- Indonesian Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi has inspected the construction of a roll-on-roll-off ship in Porsea, Toba Samosir district. It would serve shipping routes on Lake Toba.

Budi said the ship would travel from Tomok in Samosir district to Ajibata in Toba Samosir district. The ship would have the capacity to carry up to 280 passengers and 17 trucks, which is much larger than the current ship serving the route.

"It can carry some 30 cars," the minister added.

The government began construction of the ship in 2017. It is to begin operations in November 2018, Budi remarked.

"So during Christmas, we can use this ship," Budi said.

The ministry, he continued, would monitor the ship's operation to improve the tourism sector on Lake Toba, and increase shipping safety in the region. The government has planned to build another ship in the region that would be operated by state-run ferry operator PT ASDP on Lake Toba. A private firm would also donate two ships for transportation in North Sumatra.

He called on the Toba Samosir administration to assign a harbormaster who has the knowledge and commitment to assure safe shipping.

"We hope (local administration) could help monitor it, because safety is a priority," the minister said.

Also read: Tragedy in Lake Toba due to lack of discipline: Luhut

Earlier, MV Sinar Bangun, which carried a hundred passengers, had reportedly sunk in the waters of Lake Toba, between Simanindo Sub-district, Samosir District, and Tigaras Village, Dolok Pardamean Sub-district, Simalungun District, North Sumatra Province, on Monday at around 5:30 p.m. local time. Currently, the joint team has found 19 survivors and three dead.

Meanwhile, the captain of MV Sinar Bangun survived the incident. He has been secured by the police.

The latest development revealed that the boat carried 206 people while its capacity was only 43 passengers. The captain of MV Sinar Bangun also ignored weather warning issued twice by the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG).

Lake Toba is the world's deepest volcanic lake having a depth of 900 meters, spanning a surface area of 1,145 square kilometers. It is a popular tourist destination in North Sumatra.

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