Sail Banda 2010 officially launched in Ambon

Antara News, Otniel Tamindael, Saturday, April 17, 2010 14:17 WIB

Jakarta, (ANTARA News) - The eagerly awaited international marine event of Sail Banda 2010 has been officially launched by Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Fadel Muhammad at the scenic eastern Indonesian city of Ambon.

At the ceremony in Ambon on Friday night, Minister Fadel Muhammad called on all parties to support the event and make it a success.

"Information about the official launch of Sail Banda 2010 tonight has been disseminated within both the Indonesian and international communities in Indonesia and around the world," Fadel Muhammad said.

He said the event was named Sail Banda because the Banda islands bear particular historic meaning with countless relics lying scattered across the islands, serving as reminders of the days when Banda was once a major producer of a valuable commodity over which ancient world powers fought protracted wars.

Spices, more specifically nutmeg, mace and cloves, were assets that elevated the Banda islands in the 16th century to the position of the world`s most valuable piece of real estate.

Spice traders from across the globe set out in search of the original Spice Islands, in the hope of returning home with a cargo of the exotic riches.

"In the past Banda was known worldwide as the Spice Islands," said Fadel Muhammad, the chairman of the Sail Banda national committee.

He said Sail Banda was organized with the strategic objective of promoting the undersea natural beauty of Indonesia, especially in Maluku, which is found nowhere else in the world.

The maritime affairs and fisheries minister said that with its stunning natural beauty, the Maluku islands would be promoted through the Sail Banda event in a bid to turn them into a world-class marine tourism resort in the future.

"Sail Banda is scheduled to last from June 12 to August 17, 2010," Fadel said, adding that it would be participated in by around 200 yachts from various countries.

"Sail Banda`s peak event will coincide with the commemoration of the 65th anniversary of Indonesian independence at the outlying island of Kisar island in Southwest Maluku (MBD) district," Fadel added.

Meanwhile, Maluku Governor Karel Albert Ralahalu on the occasion said Sail Banda was expected to be of the greatest advantage imaginable to all people of Maluku which is also known as "the province of one thousand islands."

"This international marine event will be an immense contribution to various social aspects of the people of Maluku in particular, and the people of Indonesia in general," Ralahalu said.

According to Governor Ralahalu, the international marine event of Sail Banda 2010 would be a stepping stone to accelerate the pace of social and economic development in the province.

"The acceleration of development in Maluku is stipulated in the regional medium-term development plan 2011-2013 to build a prosperous, harmonious, religious, and self-reliant province," Governor Ralahalu said.

He said the presence of both domestic and foreign tourists from various countries, as well as the participants of Sail Banda 2010 would contribute to a short term economic advantage for the people in the province.

The long-term advantage of the international marine event, according to the governor, was the promotion of Maluku`s natural resources and tourism potentials to various investors.

"The success of Sail Banda is expected to convince the international community that the once conflict-torn province is now perfectly safe and peaceful, making it fit for both domestic and foreign tourists to visit," Ralahalu said.

Prior to the Sail Banda event, Minister Fadel Muhammad was to try to facilitate the presence of American research vessel "Okeanos Explorer" in Maluku to research the condition of the sea and marine biological resources in the province.

"I will make representations for the American research vessel `Okeanos Explorer` to sail to Maluku in June 2010," the maritime affairs and fisheries minister said after launching Sail Banda.

The Okeanos Explorer would bring a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) mission to study the Indonesian seas and their problems.

"Thus, concurrently with Sail Banda which will be held from June 12 to August 17, 2010, the NOAA mission will be encouraged to go to Maluku waters to discover the rich marine biological resources in the region," Fadel said.

Known as "America`s ship for ocean exploration," the Okeanos Explorer is a new type of research vessel that will travel around the globe to map the sea floor and characterize largely unknown areas of the ocean.

Since 95 percent of the ocean including that in Maluku is still unexplored, the Okeanos Explorer is going to help change that.

Interesting seafloor features can be discovered with the deep water multibeam sonar mapping system.

Sites will be further explored with the ship`s Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV), which can travel down to a depth of 6,000 meters.

Images and high-definition video from the underwater vehicles will be sent from the vehicle to the ship to the shore in real-time. This technology is referred to as "telepresence."

Therefore, Fadel Muhammad was sure that the American research ship would also support the government`s program to proclaim Maluku as Indonesia`s main source of marine resources by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on August 3, 2010.

"Maluku waters according to the results of research have very great resources of pelagic and demersal fish, reaching 1.64 million tons per year, but only 300 thousand tons exploited each year," Fadel said.

He believed that if the marine resources are truly exploited to the extent of 500 thousand to 700 thousand tons per year, they will give a strategic contribution to accelerated development in Maluku.

"It would be even more strategic if the marine potentials are supported by the development of seaweed which the Maluku provincial administration has declared as a leading commodity," Fadel said.