Germany is considering an Indonesian request to fund the construction of a passenger ferry to increase mobility for island dwellers, the development ministry said on Saturday 4 September.
A ministry spokesman said they were looking into the project, confirming a report to appear in the next edition of the Spiegel magazine.
"The Indonesian government officially approached the German government this year requesting financing for a ferry, to contribute to improved traffic between islands," the spokesman said. Spiegel reported that Germany's Meyer Werft shipbuilders were vying for the 100-million-euro (129-million-dollar) project, which is due to be bid out internationally in line with guidelines issued by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
Meyer Werft, which is based in the northern German town of Papenburg, have already supplied Indonesia with 24 ferries, Spiegel reported.
A 2007 report by the German development bank KfW reportedly found that the vessels, partly funded through state aid and KfW investments, were not being used to full capacity.
As a result, the development ministry decided to suspend funding for the Indonesian transport sector, Spiegel reported.
© dpa
