The Global Maritime Nexus: Challenges in Managing Marine Area in

North Sumatera Province

Suhaidi

, Rosmalinda

and Riadhi Alhayyan

Faculty of Law, Universitas Sumatera Utara, Jl. Universitas No 4 Kampus USU, Medan, Indonesia

Keywords: Global maritime nexus, readiness, local government, North Sumatera Province.

Abstract: Global maritime nexus is a strategic idea. Indonesia should realize it in order to ensure the community

welfare. This study figures out the answer of study in 8 months in North Sumatera province. This study

focuses on the readiness of North Sumatera government in realizing Indonesia as a global maritime nexus in

Malacca Strait. One strategy to achieve the vision is regulated it in the regional spatial management.

Through in depth interviews and Focus Group Discussion (FGD) which conducted to collect information

related to preparedness in policy and challenges of local government in marine management found that the

provincial government has local regulation No. 2 of 2017 concerning the regional spatial plan of North

Sumatera province (RTRWP) in 2017-2037 which in line with the 2nd and 3rd pillars of the global maritime

nexus. The presence of the new RTRWP needs to be socialized in order to disseminate the idea of Indonesia

global maritime nexus. It is not only a strategic issue but also an idea which can be applied in the program

of local government organizations (OPD) which located contiguous to the sea such as North Sumatera

province.

1 INTRODUCTION

Article 25 A of Indonesian Constitution 1945

amendment 4 states that the united country of

Republic of Indonesia is an archipelagic country

which is characteristic of the archipelago with its

territory and boundaries and rights established by

law (UUD 1945). Indonesia is the largest

archipelagic country in the world which has the

potential to become the global maritime nexus. This

is in accordance with Law Number 32 of 2014

section 5 (1) which stated, "Indonesia is an

archipelagic country composed entirely of islands

and covers large and small islands constituting a

unified territory, political, economic, social cultural,

and historical areas whose territorial boundaries are

drawn from the archipelagic base" (UU No 32,

2014).

The potential to become the maritime nexus of

the world has been conveyed by the President of the

Republic of Indonesia at the East Asia summit, in

2015. He mentioned five pillars that make Indonesia

the Global maritime nexus; (1) Rebuilding

Indonesia's maritime culture; (2) Commitment to

maintain and manage marine resources by focusing

on building sea food sovereignty through the

development of the fishing industry by placing

fishermen as the main pillars; (3) commitment to

encourage the development of maritime

infrastructure and connectivity by building sea tolls,

seaports, logistics and shipping industries, as well as

maritime tourism; (4) maritime diplomacy that

invites all Indonesian partners to cooperate in the

maritime sector is the fourth pillar of the

development agenda; (5) Finally, as a country that is

the nexus of two oceans, Indonesia is obliged to

build maritime defense forces (Pidato Presiden RI-

KTT 9 Asia Timur, 2014).

One of the provinces in Indonesia is North

Sumatera. This province has become strategic in

realizing the idea of a maritime nexus delivered by

the president of Indonesia. First, the province of

North Sumatera consists of 33 districts/cities, to the

east is directly adjacent to the Malacca Strait (BPS,

2017). Second, the province of North Sumatera has a

coastline of 1,300 Km, of which 545 km is the

length of the East Coast Line. Both of these

conditions place Noth Sumatera as a province that

contributes greatly to the realization of Indonesia as

the global maritime nexus. Furthermore, the central

government and regional governments in addition to

ensuring the achievement of the implementation of

Suhaidi, ., Rosmalinda, . and Alhayyan, R.

The Global Maritime Nexus: Challenges in Managing Marine Area in North Sumatera Province.

DOI: 10.5220/0010094016631669

In Proceedings of the International Conference of Science, Technology, Engineering, Environmental and Ramiﬁcation Researches (ICOSTEERR 2018) - Research in Industry 4.0, pages

1663-1669

ISBN: 978-989-758-449-7

 2020 by SCITEPRESS – Science and Technology Publications, Lda. All r ights reserved

1663

Indonesia's idea as a global maritime nexus should

also ensure protection and management of the sea,

especially the marine environment of the East Coast

of North Sumatera.

Indonesia as a maritime country needs to realize

the importance of the function of protection and

preservation. This must be realized in order to

maintain dependence on natural resources in the sea

in quantities and quality that meet the requirements

and are available in a sustainable manner. Especially

if referring to the extent of Indonesian waters

covering an area of 6,166,163 km

. The Indonesian

sea which contents natural resources will add to land

capacity, both biological and non-living.

Unfortunately Indonesia still does not ratify or

legalize laws and regulations that prevent and

protect its waters from all types of ship

transportation pollution (Suhaidi, 2017). Therefore,

the second pillar of the world's maritime nexus

strategy is important because he mentioned the

commitment to maintain and manage marine

resources by focusing on building sea food

sovereignty through the development of the fishing

industry by placing fishermen as the main pillars.

The above situations and conditions are

opportunities for the Government of North Sumatera

Province. It's time for the North Sumatera provincial

government to prepare to realize strategic ideas

about Indonesia as the global maritime nexus. This

is important because opportunities can turn out to be

a threat when the central and regional governments,

especially North Sumatera province, do not have

readiness. These preparations include preparation of

policies such as spatial and regional policies and

management of the marine environment.

This study focuses on the readiness of North

Sumatera provincial government in the field of

marine environment in facing the global maritime

nexus. Specifically the location discussed in this

study is the east coast of North Sumatera province,

the Malacca Strait. Two questions are asked to find

out what preparations have been made by the North

Sumatera provincial government, namely; what

policies have the North Sumatera provincial

government to realize Indonesia as global maritime

nexus? And what is the North Sumatera Provincial

Government Challenge in preparation of Malacca

Strait management related to Indonesian as global

maritime nexus?.

2 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This research was conducted by literature review

and field. Literature study is carried out by

collecting, reading and analyzing legal rules, books

and information sources in the form of print or

electronic. Field studies are carried out by collecting

information through in-depth interviews and focus

group discussions (FGD) involving staff or leaders

of the agency

3 RESULT AND DISCUSSION

Indonesia is a maritime country. This statement is

true and may be believed by every Indonesian

citizen. A childhood experience of my sailor's

ancestors could be a reinforcement of that belief.

The desire to reinforce that Indonesia is a leading

maritime country during the current administration

(Shanti, 2015). This hope certainly requires

Indonesia to be able to utilize all the marine

elements around it for the welfare of the people and

the progress of the nation. Some writings state that

the desire to become a maritime country is actually

inseparable from the desire to immediately achieve

prosperity and prosperity in Indonesia (Shanti,

2015). Shanti Darmastuti and Emmy Farida Subekti,

for example, wrote in the challenges of Indonesian

maritime diplomacy towards the global maritime

nexus that Indonesia would achieve prosperity and

prosperity through economic development of the

maritime domain (Shanti, 2015).

Furthermore, Latifah & Dinda Larasati wrote in

internal challenges in realizing Indonesia as the

global maritime nexus that the strategic idea of

Indonesia as global maritime nexus has a positive

impact on improving Indonesia's economy in the

future. Thee paper stated that the position of

Indonesia as an international trade cross into a great

economic resource if utilized to the maximum

through the global maritime nexus. It was further

stated that the president of the Republic of Indonesia

was targeting the successful global maritime nexus,

the progress of the lower middle-level countries with

a per capita income of US $ 3,592 in 2015 towards

the upper middle income countries with a per capita

income of US $ 10,000 in 2045. In other words, if

the policy of the global maritime nexus is achieved

as expected then Indonesia can be sovereign in terms

of the economy (Latifah, 2017).

Both of these writings show that the hope of

making Indonesia a global maritime nexus is a hope

for the prosperity of the Indonesian people

especially in the economy. This paper will then see

ICOSTEERR 2018 - International Conference of Science, Technology, Engineering, Environmental and Ramiﬁcation Researches

1664

whether these expectations can materialize in North

Sumatera's east coast stretching along 545 km of

beach. Not only the beach but also the location of

the rivers of the rivers of the Bukit Barisan mountain

range with a relatively high level of population

density compared to other regions. Conditions of

marine waters in coastal areas are muddy and

dominance of mangrove forests.

3.1 North Sumatera Provincial

Government Policy to Realize

Indonesia as Global Maritime

Nexus

This section must be in one column Law No. 17 of

2007 on the National Development Plan of 2005-

2025 mentions the appendix on the Vision and

Mission of the National Development Of 2005-2025.

The vision of Indonesia's development is Mandiri

(independent), Maju (forward), Adil (equal) and

Makmur (prosperity). The seventh mission of the

2005-2025 national development is "Creating

Indonesia as an independent, advanced, strong,

nation-based Islands Country" (UU No 17, 2007).

The meaning of this mission is to foster marine-

oriented development for the community and

government, and to increase the comprehensive and

sustainable use of human resources, national marine

areas and marine technology for the sovereignty and

welfare of the Indonesian.

Potential marine resources need to be managed

optimally and sustainably in order to realize the

ideals of Indonesia as a Global maritime nexus and

in an effort to provide maximum benefits for the

welfare of the people. Based on that, on February

20, 2017, the President of RI has signed Perpres No.

16 of 2017 on Indonesian Marine Policy. This

Indonesian Ocean Policy is a general guideline of

marine policy and implementation steps through

programs and activities of ministries / institutions in

the field of maritime that are prepared in order to

accelerate the implementation of the Global

maritime nexus.

Thus, Law No. 17/2007 (National RPJP 2005-

2025) and Indonesian Maritime Policy have

provided direction for maritime and maritime

development covering aspects that are very relevant

to the Preamble of the Preamble to the 1945

Constitution. This policy and law has also identified

crucial issues in the effort to utilize and management

of marine resources, thereby encouraging policy

makers to harmonize and synchronize regulations

leading to the unification of maritime law and

national maritime which is now fragmented

partially.

One Act that is also important to note is Law No.

23 of 2014 concerning local government. This law

provides an explanation of the distribution of marine

affairs and fisheries affairs at the central, provincial

and district / city governments.

Table 1: Affairs of maritime affairs and fisheries at

the provincial government according to Law No. 23

of 2014 on Regional Government

No Sub affairs Province government

1 Marine, Coastal;

and Small Islands

a. Management of

marine space up to

12 miles outside oil

and gas

b. Issuance of sea

space permits and

utilization under 12

miles outside oil and

gas

c. Empowerment of

coastal communities

and small islands

2 Fishing a. Fish management

and marine areas up

to 12 miles

b. The issuance of

fishing fisheries

business licenses for

fishing vessels

measuring above 5

GT to 30 GT

c. Determination of

development sites

and management of

provincial fishing

ports

d. Issuance and fishing

vessel with a size

above 5 GT up to 30

3 Cultural Fisheries Issuance of IUP in the

field of fish cultivation

whose business is

crossed by regency / city

in 1 (one) Province

4 Supervision of

Marine and

Fisheries

Resources

Supervision of marine

and fisheries resources

up to 12 miles

5 Management and

Marketing

Issuance of marketing

business licenses and

management of fishery

products across

regencies / cities in 1

(one) Province

These national regulations have become the basis

for the North Sumatera provincial government to

ratify the North Sumatera Provincial Regulation No.

The Global Maritime Nexus: Challenges in Managing Marine Area in North Sumatera Province

1665

2 of 2017 on Spatial Plans of North Sumatera

Province in 2017-2037. This law provides a

definition of the Provincial Spatial Plan (RTRWP)

as a general spatial plan of the province, which is an

elaboration of the RTRWN, which contains

provincial spatial objectives, policies, spatial

planning strategies; provincial spatial structure plan;

provincial spatial pattern plan; determination of

provincial strategic areas; direction of spatial use of

provincial area; and the direction of controlling the

utilization of provincial space.

It seems that RTRWP is a technical plan of the

National Development Plan (RPN), therefore if the

RPN states that the seventh mission of the 2005-

2025 national development is "Creating Indonesia as

an independent, advanced, strong and nation-based

Islands Country based on national interest "(UU No

17, 2007) then RTRWP has similar development

planning.

Article 4 of the Regional Regulation of RTRWP

The scope of the planning area covers all areas of

North Sumatera Province with an overall area of

approximately 183,449.17 km2 (one hundred eighty

three thousand four hundred and forty-nine point

seventeen square kilometers) which includes: (a)

72,325.47 km2 (seventy two thousand three hundred

twenty five point forty seven square kilometers); (b)

an ocean of approximately 110,000 km2 (one

hundred and ten thousand square kilometers); and

approximately 1,123.70 km2 (one thousand one

hundred and twenty three point seventy square

kilometers). Furthermore, RTRWP also made

several articles that regulate the steps that must be

done by the North Sumatera provincial government

related to the five pillars to make Indonesia the

World Maritime Shaft. Specifically, the RTRWP is

in line with two commitments, namely commitment

2, namely the commitment to maintain and manage

marine resources by focusing on building sea food

sovereignty through the development of the fishing

industry by placing fishermen as the main pillar and

commitment 3, namely the commitment to

encourage the development of infrastructure and

maritime connectivity by building sea tolls, seaports,

logistics, and shipping industries, as well as

maritime tourism.

Table 2: Article North Sumatera Provincial Regulation

No. 2 of 2017 on Spatial Planning of North Sumatera

Province 2017-2037 which is in line with the pillar of

making Indonesia the global maritime nexus.

Pillars

make

Indonesia

a global

maritime

Article of Provincial Regulation of North

Sumatera No. 2 of 2017 concerning

Spatial Planning for North Sumatera

Province in 2017-2037

nexus

commitme

nt 2 is the

commitme

nt to

maintain

and

manage

marine

resources

with a

focus on

building

sovereignt

y of sea

food

through

the

developm

ent of

fishery

industry

by placing

fishermen

as the

main

pillar

Article

Paragraph (6) mentions the

existence of aquaculture area

covering the area of fisheries

and marine allotment

Article

Plan for the Development of

Fishery and Marine

Utilization Area; Paragraph

(1) The spatial pattern of the

fishery and marine

designation area includes the

area of aquaculture, capture

fisheries and processing of

fishery products; Paragraph

(2) Development of marine

aquaculture and capture

fisheries areas and public

waters, covering all regencies

/ cities; Paragraph (3)

Development of fishery

product processing areas is in

fisheries producing centers;

Paragraph (4) Development

of fishery allotment areas is

carried out in areas that have

potential and are suitable for

the development of fisheries

and marine, among others:

(a). development of

agromarinpolitan area

covering coastal area; west,

east coast, and Nias Islands;

(b). development of

minapolitan areas, covering

the west coast, the east coast,

and the Nias Islands; (c).

development of fish seed

center spread throughout the

province of North Sumatera;

(d). fish landing bases (PPI)

to support capture fisheries

activities spread across the

East Coast and West Coast of

North Sumatera as listed in

Annex XXVII are an integral

part of this regional

regulation; (e). development

of Fishery Seaport (PPP) in

West Coast, East Coast and

Nias Islands; (f). construction

of an integrated cold storage

warehouse to support

national fish logistics systems

in fish production and

distribution centers and

fishery products, including

Medan City, Sibolga City,

Tanjungbalai City, Batubara

Regency, Deli Serdang

Regency, Central Tapanuli

ICOSTEERR 2018 - International Conference of Science, Technology, Engineering, Environmental and Ramiﬁcation Researches

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Regency, Mandailing

Regency Christmas, and the

Nias Islands

commitme

nt 3 is a

commitme

nt to

encourage

the

developm

ent of

maritime

infrastruct

ure and

connectivi

ty by

building

sea tolls,

seaports,

logistics

and

shipping

industries,

as well as

maritime

tourism

Article

Transportation network

system includes marine

transportation network

system covering (a) port

order; and (b) cruise line.

This transportation network

system plan aims to optimize

and

development of

transportation network

structures

Article

Development of a

network of rivers, lakes and

crossings

includes increasing and

developing transport service

networks

rivers, lakes and crossings

(ASDP) include (a) nodes of

river, lake and crossing

networks including seaports

that are used to serve

crossing transportation, (b)

cross-border crossing

transportation service

networks, namely

Medan-Penang (Malaysia),

Medan-Kuala Lumpur

(Malaysia), Medan-

Singapore, Tanjungbalai-

Singapore and Tanjungbalai-

Malaysia; and (c). cross-

province crossing transport

service network, namely

Medan-Batam, Medan-

Lhokseumawe, Medan-

Pangkal Pinang,

Gunungsitoli-Singkil, Telo-

Teluk Bayur Island; and (d) a

network of transportation

services for rivers, lakes and

crossings

regencies / cities namely

Sibolga - Gunungsitoli,

Sibolga - Teluk Dalam,

Teluk Dalam - Telo Island,

Natal - Telo Island,

Article

Paragraph (1)

Development of the port

structure is a sea port

including: (a) main port; (b).

collecting ports; (c). feeder

port, which consists of: 1)

regional feeder port; and 2)

the local feeder port.

Paragraph (2) The

arrangement of the shipping

channel includes (a). general

shipping lines and crossings;

and (b) port of shipping

passage.

Article

Paragraph (1)

Development of the existing

port order within the

province; paragraph (2)

Development of sea transport

along the east coast of North

Sumatera by water bus.

Paragraph (3) Development

of ports along the east coast

of North Sumatera to support

sea transport along the east

coast of North Sumatera.

Paragraph (4) Development

of ports to encourage

economic growth of the

region on the west coast of

North Sumatera. (5) The

development of Kuala

Tanjung Port is designated as

an international hub port at

the western gate of Indonesia

in the order of the National

Logistics System.

It is seen that the RTRWP which is the basis for

its preparation refers to Law Number 17 of 2007

concerning the National Development Plan for 2005

- 2025 has adjusted to the provisions of Law No. 23

of 2014 concerning local government and the idea of

the president of the Republic of Indonesia 2014-

2019.

3.2 Challenge of North Sumatera

Provincial Government in

Preparation of Marine

Management Related to Indonesian

Maritime Nexus

The challenge according to the Indonesian Big

Dictionary (KBBI) Online means things or objects

that inspire determination to improve problem-

solving skills; stimulus (to work harder and so on).

The difficulty of doing things is a challenge to work

harder as well as the readiness of the North

Sumatera provincial government. The study, entitled

"The Readiness of Medan City Government

(Malacca Strait) In Facing China Maritime Silk

Road and Maritime Shaft of the World" finds some

The Global Maritime Nexus: Challenges in Managing Marine Area in North Sumatera Province

1667

of the challenges faced by North Sumatera

provincial government.

First, lack of popularity of the term maritime

nexus among the local governement institutions. The

reason raised by informants when conducting focus

group discussions is the limited description of the

main tasks and functions stipulated in the governor's

2016 regulation.

“...the language of the maritime nexus has not been

used by the provincial government, while the

readiness is already there, culinary readiness,

tourism, and others. The maritime nexus, now there

are also plans for the opening of the field from the

silangit to guang zhou, even the North Sumatera

provides support facilities, with the support also

from the center. The sea why there is no cruise ship

as one of the potential, collect data of potential areas

then looks for opportunities to be marketed to

investors...” (FGD on 5 July 2018)

In addition, the arrangement related to the idea of

Indonesia as a maritime nexus is still at the central

level as one of the informants found during the in-

depth interview.

“..already, there is already, in the sea

transportation department on the fifteenth floor,

medan merdeka barat...” (Joko,L, 2018)

Secondly, the new regional regulation on

RTRWP in North Sumatera is North Sumatera

Province Regulation No. 2 of 2017 on Spatial Plan

of North Sumatera Province 2017-2037.

“...the maritime nexus has been heard. Local

regulation spatial, there are still some District /City

there are still unfinished RTRW it, and submitted to

bappeda to be hastened ... Bylaws RTRW cannot

cover sea affairs because the sea has its own zone.

And we cannot map it ourselves, and are being made

about marine RTRW / marine zone, tourism

industry, sand, etc. ... once gave permission about

sand dredging and marine minister angry because

there is no national regulation related to the division

of marine zone. Marine zones and others will be

covered, both fisheries, cultivation, including the

disposal of marine waste, there must be a marine

spatial regulation...” (FGD on 5 July 2018)

Both of the above research findings are the

challenges that become the homework of the North

Sumatera provincial government. The strategic idea

of Indonesia being the global maritime nexus can

only be realized if every region such as the northern

sumatera province along the 1,300 km coastline, of

which 545 km is the length of the East Coast Line is

willing to work together with the central

government. Another important thing is the position

of the east coast of northern Sumatra bordering the

Malacca Strait should be maintained and managed

the marine environment well. If not, then major

losses can occur for the next generation.

4 CONCLUSIONS

Conclusions and recommendations of this research

are two things, first, the North Sumatera provincial

government has a policy related to the strategic idea

of Indonesia as a maritime nexus namely North

Sumatera Province Regulation No. 2 of 2017 on

Spatial Plan of North Sumatera Province 2017-2037.

Unfortunately, this regulation only end of 2017 is

present so it still needs socialization RTRW North

Sumatera Province 2017-2034 not only to local

governments but also development partners and the

community. So that the hope of Indonesia as a

maritime nexus of the world through the protection

and management of the sea on the east coast of

North Sumatera facing the Malacca Strait can be

realized.

The steps taken by the North Sumatera Provincial

Government in the preparation of the management

of the Malacca Strait associated with the Indonesian

maritime nexus find the challenge of (s) the

unfamiliarity of maritime shaft terms in government

including the unused use of the term in the local

regulatory documents, and (b) about marine spatial

planning. Based on these challenges, local

governments can coordinate intensively with the

central government in terms of marine protection

and management on the east coast of Sumatera.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We would like to thank the Research and Service

Institute of Universitas Sumatera Utara who

supported the authors to implement research

program through TALENTA research scheme of

Fiscal Year 2018 based on the Rector Letter

Number: 433 / UN5.1.R / SK / PPM / 2018.

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