Navy Preparing Five Warships to Carry Homeward Travelers

Padang, W Sumatra - The Indonesian Navy (TNI AL) is preparing five warships to carry homeward travelers to celebrate post-fasting month Idul Fitri festivities in their home towns. "To help carry homeward travelers to different cities in Indonesia, TNI AL is preparing five warships," the logistics staff member of the Indonesian Navy Headquarters. Col. Ibrahim said here on Sunday. He said only two of the five warships, KRI Banjarmasin and KRI Tanjung Nusanive, had departed to different destinations in the country. "Three other warships are still made ready at Tanjung Priok port," he said. He said KRI Banjarmasin of landing platform dock type left Tanjung Priok port for Semarang, Central Java, on August 26, carrying hundreds of homeward travelers along with their motorcycles. The ship carried not only homeward travelers but also their motorcycles to reduce the number of road accidents involving motorcyclists, he said. KRI Tanjung Nusanive carrying thousands of homeward travelers left Tanjung Priok port at 03.00 p.m. on Sunday to different destinations in the country, he said. He said KRI Tanjung Nusanive was one of the passenger ships owned by TNI AL. "This ship was formerly civil passenger ship owned by shipping company Pelni. The ship was called KM Kambuna. But after it was handed to TNI AL it changed into KRI Tanjung Nusanive," he said. The German-made ship had a capacity of carrying about 2,000 passengers and 100 two-wheeled vehicles. Built in 1984 the ship had 130 bedrooms, ranging from VVIP to economic classes, he said.