VIN Inti Nusa Supports a Study on Marine Shuttles to Strengthen Inter-Island Logistics in NTB

Central Lombok — PT VIN Inti Nusa participated in discussions with the West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) Provincial Government regarding the development of a maritime logistics network based on the marine shuttle concept. The event was held at the Pullman Mandalika Hotel in Central Lombok on Friday, October 9.

This initiative aims to address distribution challenges in the archipelago while strengthening the resilience of NTB’s food and agromaritime logistics. By utilizing Landing Craft Tank (LCT) vessels, this concept is expected to facilitate the movement of the region’s key commodities, such as rice, shelled corn, vaname shrimp, garlic, tuna, and livestock supplies.

Unlike distribution models that rely on permanent docks, coastal LCTs are designed to beach or dock directly on the shore at predetermined points. This approach has the potential to shorten overland distribution routes, bring collection points closer to production areas, and provide more flexible logistics access for the islands of NTB.

NTB Governor Lalu Muhamad Iqbal emphasized the importance of comprehensively mapping inbound and outbound logistics needs. Items such as milk, feed, packaged goods, and agricultural products must be carefully mapped so that the fleet can operate efficiently with optimal cargo load factors on every voyage.

During the discussion, two alternative ship designs were also examined. The first option is a two-deck LCT that allows for the transport of livestock on the lower deck and feed on the upper deck. The other option is a convertible design, enabling the ship to adapt to different cargo types as needed—for example, transporting corn on one voyage and vehicles or livestock supplies on the next.

Sonny, a representative of PT VIN Inti Nusa, explained that the marine shuttle concept was designed to reduce reliance on the construction of conventional port infrastructure. According to him, this idea was inspired by the LCT landing craft’s ability to reach the shore without requiring a pier.

VIN has received information on potential beaching points in NTB as a basis for developing the coastal LCT design. To support this phase, VIN has also been in communication with several shipyards in Batam and Samarinda to prepare a vessel design suited to the characteristics of the NTB archipelago.

Going forward, this concept is expected not only to strengthen connectivity and economic ties among regions in NTB, but also to serve as a model for maritime transportation that can be implemented in other archipelagic regions in Indonesia as well as globally.