Jakarta (ANTARA) – Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka has called for the development of Nabire Port in Central Papua as a strategic hub to drive regional economic growth, underscoring the need for integrated infrastructure planning to boost logistics and connectivity.“The Central Papua regional government must develop a focused and sustainable development plan, leveraging Nabire Port’s presence as a key hub for economic growth,” Gibran said in a statement on Monday following his visit to the port.He said the plan should integrate logistics, trade and inter-regional connectivity, ensuring that the benefits of port development reach a broader segment of the population and contribute to equitable regional progress.Gibran added that the visit was part of President Prabowo Subianto’s directive to strengthen connectivity and transportation infrastructure, including ports, as a backbone for goods distribution and development in eastern Indonesia.During the visit, officials briefed the vice president that the existing port measures about 227 meters in length and 12 meters in width, serving vessels ranging from 144 to 177 meters long.These limitations restrict berthing capacity, forcing cargo ships to wait offshore when passenger vessels are docked, as simultaneous docking is not currently possible.Local authorities also highlighted the need for additional trestles and pointed to the port’s insufficient capacity to handle larger container volumes.“Because the containers we unload are already using 40-foot units, their size prevents them from passing each other,” said Ewanggen Kokoya, head of the Nabire Class II Port Service Unit.To address these constraints, officials have proposed extending the pier and adding supporting infrastructure to improve efficiency and throughput.Kokoya stressed the port’s strategic role in supporting logistics across the region, noting that it serves eight surrounding districts.“Given that this is our main port serving eight districts, around 80 percent of community needs depend on this port,” he said, highlighting its importance to regional supply chains and economic activity.