The Wiraraja Green Renewable Energy and Smart-Eco Industrial Park national strategic project (PSN) was launched in a grand ceremony on Aug. 26, 2024 at Wiraraja Industrial Estate in Nongsa District, Batam City, Riau Islands Province.

Investment Minister and Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) Chairman Rosan Roeslani said during a meeting with Singaporean Prime Minister (PM) Lawrence Wong, on Aug. 27 that he next government’s efforts to achieve an economic growth rate of 8 percent, is believed to be an important measure to escape the middle-income trap that is needed for economic growth of at least above 6-7 percent.

Traditional and modern artistic performances enlivens the Tanjungpinang Fest 2024 in the Merdeka Road area of Tanjungpinang City, Riau Islands Province. Tanjungpinang Fest 2024 is held in conjunction with the Merdeka Coffee Festival.

Some 4.2 million passengers traveled through Batam’s domestic and international ferry terminals in the first half of 2024 (H12024), an increase of 6 percent from the same period last year.

The issue of national food security has become increasingly concerning, with skyrocketing food price inflation amid overall low inflation and a rising amount of rice imports. In response, the government has started many initiatives, including extending fixed prices of natural gas for fertilizer, and increasing the budget for the fertilizer subsidy to strengthen the nation’s food security.

The government is set to designate four new Special Economic Zones (SEZs). National SEZ Council Acting Secretary General Rizal Edwin, stated that the four zones have been agreed upon and are in the process of being formalized through a Government Regulation (PP).

The Indonesia Marine & Offshore Expo (IMOX), an international maritime and offshore exhibition, is set to return to Indonesia. IMOX 2024, the seventh edition of the exhibition, will be held at the Radisson Golf and Convention Centre, Batam, from July 31 to Aug. 2, 2024.

The Batam Free Trade and Free Port Zone Development Agency (BP Batam) continues to develop Batu Ampar Port into an international transshipment hub. This progress is beginning to show results, with container traffic increasing by 7 percent, reaching approximately 313,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in the first half of 2024, compared to 293,000 TEUs in the first half of last year.