Abstract:
This study aims to determine the effect of ship assist availability on piloting and towing
activities for under-bridge passage at Boom Baru Port, Palembang. The background of
this research is the increasing shipping activity on the Musi River, especially in the area
around the Ampera Bridge which is included in the Class I Mandatory Pilotage Waters
area so that the need for assist vessels becomes very vital. This assist ship plays an
important role in assisting ship manoeuvres, both when entering and leaving the port,
especially in narrow and swift waters. The limited number of assist vessels is one of the
factors inhibiting the efficiency of piloting and towing services, even causing delays in
logistics distribution and potentially causing shipping accidents. A quantitative approach
is used in this study through data collection through observations of piloting and towing
activities for under-bridge passage from August 2023 to January 2024 and reports on the
availability of assist vessels. Two data analyses were used, namely the statistical method
of correlation and simple linear regression through SPSS version 26 software to see the
relationship between the variables of ship assist availability (X) and piloting and towing
activities for under-bridge passage. (Y). The results showed that there is an influence that
occurs between the availability of ship assists and piloting and towing activities for underbridge passage that are positive and significant, with a coefficient of determination of
90.5% which reflects the availability of ship assists contributing greatly or influencing
the effectiveness of port activities. The conclusion of this research is that it confirms that
the existence of adequate ship assists has a role that is considered very crucial, especially
to maintain navigation safety and smooth logistics flow, not only to speed up the ship
service process. The addition of a fleet of assist vessels and improved operational
coordination between stakeholders are important recommendations to improve the
competitiveness and efficiency of the Port of Boom Baru amid the rapid growth of
maritime activities.
