Passenger Ship KM Dorolonda

Traveling by ship is one of my favorite ways to explore new places and towns in Indonesia. My trip to Bali from Manokwari started on Christmas day 2011. I went to Surabaya by passenger ship KM. Dorolonda. After arriving in the city, I would continue my trip by car to Bali island where at Ketapang Port of East Java, I had to cross the Bali strait by a ferry boat to Gilimanuk. My destination at that time was Ubud - the center of art and culture of the Balinese people. This vessel is operated by PELNI - a state owned passenger lines in Indonesia. The vessel was constructed in Germany at Jos Meyer shipyard. Indonesia as the largest archipelago needs a lot of ferries to transport people and goods from one island to another. That's why PELNI lines have ordered tens of passenger ships and ferries from Meyer Werft.
Even though all of the PELNI passenger ships are not considered as luxurious cruise ships, they have been equipped with advanced navigational system and GPS tracking system.

In Indonesia, millions of people travel by ships because it is cheap. Most of the modern passenger ferries and cruise ships are powered by diesel engines. In the past, steam turbines were the preferred choice because they were relatively calmer than marine diesel engines that produce more vibrations. With more improvements in the design of marine internal combustion engines, they become smaller but can deliver higher power.
My personal reason for traveling by ships is more on my educational background. I studied Naval Architecture in Pattimura University of Ambon city. I always want to study the interior of ships that I travel with. So, I took the opportunity of going to Surabaya with KM Dorolonda by taking a lot of pictures of this vessel. I also made a lot of pictures of traditional wooden boats, container ships and pontoons that I saw at every port that KM Dorolonda made as her ports of call.

Although more Indonesian people now prefer to travel by airplanes, there are more people in the country who still choose ships and boats as their preferred mode of transportation. More often the capacity of the ships is too small to accommodate thousands of people who use them. For instance, when I was traveling by this KM Dorolonda, I saw hundreds of people staying for a few nights at the outer decks of the vessel. I was really concerned about this situation because of safety concerns. As a naval architect, I know that as long as the waterline does not exceed the plimsoll mark, the ship is still safe enough to cross the ocean. However, PELNI as the operator of tens of ferries that carry thousands of passengers - often in over capacity condition, must give more attention on providing life saving equipment in the passenger ships. In addtion, the addition of surveillance cameras and security personnel in the vessels are a must to ensure that frequent criminality incidents can be stopped in the ships.  There are a lot of incidents in Indonesian passenger ships where passengers lost their belongings. Pickpocket is also a common criminal case that frequently occurs during the embarkation and de-embarkation of passengers in every port of Indonesia.
As a matter of fact, PELNI ships have got the potentials to be promoted as affordable transport vehicles for foreign tourists who want to travel around Indonesia in cheaper cost. This can only be realized if the ships are cleaned regularly and criminality during the sea voyage as well as during the loading and unloading of passengers at ports have been eliminated. by Charles Roring

Two Dolphins Swimming in the Blue Sea

Have you ever seen dolphins swimming along side a sailing boat or ship? I have experienced such scenes many times. When I was still a university student studying naval architecture in the University of Pattimura Ambon, I frequently traveled with KM Dobonsolo or KM Sirimahu to my hometown in Manokwari. They were passangers ships operated by PT. PELNI. When the ships were in the middle of the sea with no bad weather at all, usually passengers could see big fish such as dolphins swimming in a close distance. It was a wonderful experience for me and I decided that one day I had to make a drawing or painting of such scene.

Charcoal sketch of Dolphins

Dolphins are smart mammals that live in the sea. They are often considered as guardian angels for sailors who experience accident at sea. I used to hear a story which said that dolphins helped crews of capsized or sunken ship by taking them to a nearest island. I don't know if such case do exist in real life. I only know that there are circus shows about instructors who ask dolphins to give them a ride around the big pond to entertain the spectators. The fish can also do simple mathematical calculation.

For me, the best thing that we can do to the dolphins is by letting them live where they are right now. The less we disturb them the better. This is also true for the whole marine environment. By the way, I made the painting of these swimming dolphins in 2004. The media was Fabercastell watercolor pencils on French made Canson paper.

So, next time when you plan to have a vacation in the Caribbean islands or the Pacific region, don't forget to bring a telelens camera. You might encounter such rare scene.  Take some nice pictures as souvenirs for your family and friends. by Charles Roring

PELNI Ships in Indonesian islands

Passenger ships operated by PELNI, an Indonesian state owned passenger liner, play very important role in transporting people and goods from one to another island in Indonesia. PELNI has around 25 ships which all of them powered by marine diesel engines. Most of the passenger vessels were ordered from shipyard in Germany.

PT PELNI stands for PT Pelayaran Nasional Indonesia or National Indonesian Shipping Company. There are millions of people living along the coastal lines of thousands of islands in this country. They need passenger ships such as the ones that PELNI has to travel to other islands within the country. The sea fare is very cheap compared to the fare which cruise ships in Europe charge to their passengers.

PELNI Ships are usually named after mountains or volcanoes in Indonesia. They are KM AWU; KM Binaya, KM Bukit Raya, KM Bukit Siguntang, KM Ciremai, KM Dobonsolo, KM Dorolonda, KM Egon, KM Fudi, KM Ganda Dewata, KM Kelimutu, KM Kelud, KM Labobar, KM Lambelu, KM Lawit, KM Leuser, KM Nggapulu, KM Pangrango, KM Sagiang, KM Sinabung, KM Sirimau, KM Tatamailau, KM Tidar, KM Tilongkabila, and KM Umsini.

PELNI Ships are modern German built vessels that are specifically built for simple Indonesian passengers who do not need vacuum toilets, and card lock doors. They are not as luxurious as cruise ships in the Europe but they are very comfortable and affordable. If you are a person who is interested in traveling and meeting ordinary people (and not wealthy pensioners) across the largest archipelago in the world, then PELNI passenger ships are your perfect choice.

Indonesia has thousands of beautiful islands with beautiful white sandy beach, pristine corals, and mountains, tropical rainforest and most importantly nice and friendly people. These are the real wealth of Indonesia which is waiting for explorers like you. by Charles Roring. Also read: Passenger Ships of PELNI Lines