Osaka Port and Batavia Port Hidesaburo Nakayama, Ph.D. in Engineering

 

Figure: Plan of Batavia Port at that age

Current Tanjung Priok Port（by google Earth）

      I remember that when I once visited Tanjung Priok Port in Indonesia, I looked at the port’s site plan and was intrigued by how much it resembled Osaka Port—specifically, its shape, with breakwaters tapering out toward the sea like a “beak.”

In this article, I would like to introduce the essay “The Port of Osaka and the Port of Batavia” by Dr. Hidesaburo Nakayama (1865–1936, Ministry of the Interior engineer and Professor Emeritus at the University of Tokyo), which appeared on pages 8–11 of Volume 7, Issue 3 of Kōwan (Ports), published by the Japan Port Association in 1929 .

  Batavia is the former name of Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, during the Dutch colonial era. The Port of Batavia corresponds to the present-day Port of Tanjung Priok. At the beginning of the text, the author explains why Dr. Tadao Okino used the breakwater at the Port of Batavia as a model for the Port of Osaka. It is clearly stated that this was because, immediately after the Meiji Restoration, Japan invited many Dutch engineers to serve as leaders in the design and construction of river and marine engineering projects. Since both ports required the construction of breakwaters on very weak ground, and it is noted that Osaka Port was able to construct its breakwater by learning from the failures and experiences at Batavia Port. In terms of its shape, Osaka Port became a far larger port than Batavia Port, both in terms of its inner water area and the length of its breakwater. Furthermore, the text describes the circumstances surrounding the construction of Batavia Port in 1877 at Tanjung Priok, 9 km from Jakarta, as well as the port’s development following its completion. Like Osaka Port, the use of Batavia Port did not progress for about ten years after the facilities were completed due to outdated customs; however, after twenty years had passed, the need for port expansion had become apparent. Similarly, after construction on the Port of Osaka finally began and was completed, cargo volumes began to increase in the Showa era(~1926), and the time had come to enhance the port’s facilities. The text concludes by noting that Japanese delegates attending an international conference in Batavia at that time would likely be deeply moved upon seeing the Port of Batavia’s fully developed port facilities. This suggests that the Port of Osaka drew inspiration from the Port of Batavia. Today, much like the Port of Osaka, the Port of Tanjung Priok is developing new reclaimed land on the outer side of the old breakwater; this land is being utilized for container terminals and other purposes, contributing to the port’s continued development.

(Japanese)ア港　　　　工学博士　中山秀三郎

  かつてインドネシアのﾀﾝｼﾞｭﾝﾌﾟﾘｵｸ港を視察した時、同港の平面図を見て大阪港によく似て、“くちばし”のように防波堤を海に向けてとがらせている形状に興味をもったことを覚えている。

今回は、1929年（昭和4年）日本港湾協会発行「港湾」第7巻第3号Ｐ8~11に記載された、工学博士　中山秀三郎氏（1865～1936内務技師、東大名誉教授）による「大阪港とバタビア港」を紹介したいと思います。

バタビアはインドネシアの首都ジャカルタのオランダ植民地時代の旧称です。バタビア港は現在のﾀﾝｼﾞｭﾝﾌﾟﾘｵｸ港に当たります。本文の冒頭では、なぜ大阪港ではバタビア港の防波堤を沖野忠雄博士が手本としたかの理由が述べられていて、それは明治維新直後、日本が多くオランダの技術者を招聘し河海工事の設計・施行の指導者としたためと明確に書かれており、両港とも、軟弱地盤の上に防波堤を築く必要があり、大阪港はバタビア港での失敗や経験を生かして、防波堤を築造できたとあります。その形状は大阪港の方がその内水面面積や、防波堤の長さにおいてもはるかに大きな港となりました。また、本文ではバタビア港が1877年にジャカルタから９ｋｍ離れたﾀﾝｼﾞｭﾝﾌﾟﾘｵｸに建設された経緯や、港湾整備後のバタビア港の発展状況が記載されています。バタビア港も大阪港同様、施設竣功後も旧習の因習により十年間ほどは港の利用が進まなかったものの20年を経過して、港の拡張の必要性が生じるほどとなった。同様に、大阪港も起工してようやく完成したのち、昭和になり貨物量も増えだし施設整備の充実を図るべき時期に至っている中で、当時バタビアで開催される国際会議に出席する日本人委員には、バタビア港の完備された港湾設備を見て感慨無量となるであろうと述べて終えています。大阪港がバタビア港を参考にしていたことがうかがえます。現在は大阪港同様、ﾀﾝｼﾞｭﾝﾌﾟﾘｵｸ港では、旧防波堤の外側に新たな埋立地を造成しており、これがコンテナターミナル等で利用されるなど、港の発展を遂げています。