Bitung

Bitung was named as one of the country's Special Economic Zones in 2014. Priority sectors in the area are logistics, herbal pharmacy, fish processing and coconut processing. Based on Government Regulation No.32/2014 on Bitung SEZ, it will occupy an area of 534 hectares. The SEZ is divided into three zones, namely industrial zone, logistics zone and Export Processing Zone.[7]

On 16 January 2014 local authorities passed responsibility to acquire land for the Manado–Bitung Toll Road to the Public Works Ministry, although the initiation of works after the formality would take some time.[8] The construction of the 39.9-km toll road is expected to cost Rp 6.7 trillion (US$ 503 million), and the Indonesian Government expects it to be completed by late 2018 and operational on 2019.[9]

Port of Bitung

On 28 April 2017, Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte and Indonesia President Joko Widodo inaugurated the Davao-Bitung Roll-on Roll-Off Ferry Service that will allow journey time of just 3 days between two cities. The original shipping route from Davao City in Mindanao, Philippines took up to 5 weeks because ships first have to sail northwards to Manila, passing through South China Sea and Malaysia waters before it reaches various ports in Indonesia. Under the program, there are 5 to 10 companies who will use the initial voyage of the Cebu-based Asia Marine Transport Corp.’s M/V Super Shuttle RORO 12 with a 500-TEU capacity. Among the goods to be traded include animal feeds, aqua products, charcoal, coffee beans, construction materials, copra, feed ingredients, fertilizers, food and beverages, fresh fruits, ice cream products, meats, peanuts, poultry (halal), soya, sugar, and synthetics.[10][11][12][13] By 2019, however, the route had ceased operations due to a lack of demand caused by similarities in commodities produced by the two cities.[14]