Governor Sherly inaugurated reopening of the Port of Sofifi

North Maluku Governor Sherly Laos inaugurated the reopening of the Port of Sofifi Port on Mar. 26, 2025. The event was attended by North Maluku Deputy Governor Sarbin Sehe, the North Maluku Provincial Government Regional Secretary, representatives of the North Maluku Province and Tidore Islands City Regional Leadership Coordination Forums (Forkopimda), the leadership of the North Maluku Provincial Government organizations, and invited guests.

Sherly's arrival was greeted with the Cakalele Dance performed by a local dance studio. The event was then continued by the singing of Indonesian national anthem 'Indonesia Raya'. As part of the inauguration ceremony, Sherly and Sarbin also handed over 100 free staple food packages to orphans and widows, as well as personal protective equipment (PPE) for dockworkers.

Sofifi Town Public Service Unit (UPP) III Head Sofifi Bram Haribowo expressed his gratitude for the increase in the status of the Port of Sofifi to a Segment I Port.

"This means that there has been an increase in both quality and quantity [of services in the port]," he explained.

However, Sofifi Town UPP III also highlighted the inadequate road access to the port, and requested the attention of the North Maluku Provincial Government and the Tidore Islands City Government to promptly improve upon the issue.

Meanwhile, Sherly Laos emphasized that North Maluku is very dependent on maritime transportation due to the province being  an archipelago.

"I am grateful that the Port of Sofifi can operate again today [Mar. 26, 2025] with the docking of KM Mutiara Ferindo III," she noted.

"Currently, the Port of Sofifi is still meant specifically for cargo transportation. In the future, we hope to increase its capacity to become a container transportation port. However, this is impossible to realize if the road access to the port remains in a damaged condition," Sherly added.

Therefore, she ordered the North Maluku Regional Secretary and the Transportation Agency to immediately coordinate in the repairs.

After the inauguration, Sherly and her entourage took the time to review KM Mutiara Ferindo III, which docked to the port as part of the event, to ensure the condition of the ship. The governor also chatted with passengers about the ship's facilities, as well as their experiences during the trip. Several passengers took advantage of the moment to take selfies with her.

At the end of the event, Sherly expressed her hope that the Port of Sofifi could be a driver of inclusive economic growth for North Maluku and have a positive impact on the welfare of the province's people.

"Hopefully the port can improve connectivity and accelerate the distribution of goods and services so that the economy of North Maluku will be more advanced and [its growth] evenly distributed," she concluded.