Suwandi News

A tug tows a loaded coal barge down the Mahakam River past the city of Samarinda. Passing the town of Samarinda, just above the deltas and about 30 kilometers up river from the sea, a steady parade of tugs towing barges are moving thousands of tons of coal from several large mines further up the river. Some of these tow barge loads of coal to neighboring Southeast Asian nations while others take to coal barges out of the river and alongside deep-sea vessels for transport to more distant markets. Mr.

One of the world’s least known boat building areas is in and around the city of Samarinda on the Mahakam River in the province of East Kalimantan on the Indonesian side of the Island of Borneo. While some yards are building a dozen and more boats at a time in modern facilities, the tradition of building on the riverbank is alive and well. One such builder is Mr. Suwandi who, in mid-February, was preparing to launch a 28 by 8.1-meter tug for Mr. Syarifuddin who operates a stone quary at Palu on Sulawesi Island. The tug, registered in Samarinda and named Syarasd I, is powered by a pair of in-line six-cylinder Cummins KTA19 engines each generating 600 hp and turning propellers manufactured by Tesco in Jakarta through Twin Disc MG5321DC gears with 6.39:1 ratios. Pt.