RI Has Four Of Seven Strategic Sea Lanes In World

Jakarta, Oct 1 (Antara) - Indonesia has four of seven lanes of sea communications in world politically and economically strategic and vital for the survivals of a number of countries, an observer said. "The sea lanes extend from the Persian Gulf westward to West Europe and eastward to East Asia and the United States," geo-strategy observer Fika M Komara said here on Tuesday. Fika said the strategic water territories cover the Bosporus Strait between European part of Turkey and Asia, the Hormuz Strait between the United Arab Emirate and Iran. Strategic water territories for international shipping in the Pacific region extends between the South China Sea and the East China Sea. "The ones in Indonesian sea territories are the Malacca Strait , the Sunda Strait , the Lombok Strait and Makassar Strait," Fika said. The sea transport lanes are vital for the transport of oil and gas in the world especially for advanced nations, he cited . In transportation geography the water territories are called choke points, as they are not easily to pass by and could easily be blocked, he said. Using alternative lanes could mean a long detour that would require much higher cost and loss of time, he said. After the world center of growth shifted to the Asia Pacific from Europe and America earlier , the sea lanes become a world maritime strategic center for the 21st century, he said. In the era of Trans-Pacific trade , the Malacca Strait takes a very important role as it is the shortest route for transport between two big oceans , the Indian and Pacific Oceans, he said. The short cut via the Malacca Strait will save much cost an time for shipping between the two oceans, he added. The Sunda Strait also is strategic linking the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean . The Lombok Strait and the Makassar Strait in addition to providing alternative routes to the Malacca Strait , also serve as strategic route linking the Pacific Ocean and the Philippines Sea in the north and Australia in the south.