Bali Plans 2026–2028 Relocation of Benoa Fishing Fleet to Pengambengan
Bali and national authorities plan to relocate fishing vessels from Benoa in Denpasar to the expanded Pengambengan national fishing port in Jembrana by 2028, as Benoa is reshaped into a maritime tourism hub and Pengambengan into an…
Editor: Mursyid Sonsang
· Event date: · 3 min read
Denpasar — Bali authorities and the national government plan to relocate most fishing vessel operations from Benoa in Denpasar to the Pengambengan national fishing port in Jembrana between 2026 and 2028, as part of an integrated fishing-port and maritime tourism development programme.
According to statements from Bali’s deputy governor I Nyoman Giri Prasta and officials at the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, the relocation is tied to the expansion of Pelabuhan Perikanan Nusantara (PPN) Pengambengan, which has been designated a National Strategic Project and is expected to become a major, integrated fishing port with international fish markets.
Giri Prasta outlined the plan during a meeting in Denpasar with Deputy Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Didit Herdiawan Ashaf, where they discussed the stages of developing PPN Pengambengan and the eventual transfer of fishing activities from Benoa.
The deputy governor said that once the transfer is complete, Benoa will be repositioned as a maritime and tourism centre, supporting a wider Bali Maritime Tourism Hub and maritime activity for eastern Indonesia. Fishing operations, including large fish-transport vessels currently based at Benoa, are planned to be concentrated in Jembrana.
Timetable and projected impacts
Government and port officials have outlined a multi-year timetable for construction and relocation.
- 2025: Groundbreaking at PPN Pengambengan is planned for November, following tender and preparation stages.
- 2026: Physical development at Pengambengan is scheduled to include reclamation works, construction of berthing facilities and the first phase of relocating fishing vessels from Benoa and nearby areas.
- 2028: Authorities in Bali and at PPN Pengambengan have stated that by 2028 all fishing vessels from Benoa are expected to operate from the upgraded Pengambengan port, with full operations targeted from January 2028.
- Employment: Projections tied to the expansion of Pengambengan and associated industrial activity estimate between about 8,800 and up to 25,000 jobs linked to the port’s operations and processing facilities.
Officials have said the upgraded PPN Pengambengan is expected to accommodate roughly 1,300–1,600 fishing vessels and significantly increase annual fish landings, while Benoa would focus on general port functions and marine tourism, including marina facilities and cruise-related services.
As part of the transition, Pelindo and the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries have indicated that fish-transport and fishing vessels will be moved step by step, aligning vessel relocation with the completion of key infrastructure at Pengambengan.
Roles for Benoa and Pengambengan
Local and national officials describe the relocation as linking two development priorities: transforming Pengambengan into an integrated, high-capacity fishing port and reorienting Benoa toward tourism and broader maritime services.
PPN Pengambengan is planned as a large-scale fishing hub with port, industrial and business zones, international-standard fish markets, cold-chain facilities and supporting services for capture fisheries.
Benoa, meanwhile, is being prepared as a core component of the Bali Maritime Tourism Hub, with plans for marina facilities and commercial areas and with fishing activities progressively relocated to Jembrana.
Community and infrastructure considerations
Provincial leaders have emphasised that the project should create strategic roles and employment for local residents in Jembrana and surrounding areas, rather than leaving communities as passive observers of the development.
The Bali administration has also called for supporting land and sea infrastructure to be planned in parallel with the port expansion, including access roads, utilities and environmental protection measures.
Fisher groups and port-dependent businesses have raised concerns in public reporting about how relocation will affect their operations, particularly regarding distances to fishing grounds and markets, and have sought clarity on the pace of the move and the support available during the transition.
Sources
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