Silting of Baai Island Port Hampers Bengkulu's Exports, BRIN Pushes for Solutions until 2045

JAKARTA, GARISBUMI.com – The silting of Pulau Baai Harbor limits Bengkulu's economic activity and causes some regional commodities to be exported through neighboring provinces. The National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) is encouraging the provincial government to prepare a road map for port management with projections until 2045.

This issue was discussed at the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on Synergy (NKS) between BRIN and the Bengkulu Provincial Government at the B.J. Building. Habibie, Jakarta, Tuesday (29/9/2026).

Head of the Regional Development Planning, Research and Innovation Agency (Bapperida) of Bengkulu Province, Yuliswani, said that decades of silting had hampered the use of Baai Island Harbor as a regional economic driver.

"The port channel is currently at minus eight meters. However, if it is optimized, many economic and export activities can be carried out there," said Yuliswani.

According to him, port limitations mean that Bengkulu has not received optimal benefits from its commodity trade.

"So far, due to limited ports, many of our commodities have been exported through neighboring provinces such as Lampung, so Bengkulu has lost economic benefits and profit sharing," he said.