DENPASAR, DEWATA.NEWS – A cross-agency coordination meeting on Saturday (Feb 21) concluded that seepage from a fuel pipeline is strongly suspected to have caused the death of hundreds of mangrove trees along Jalan Raya Pelabuhan Benoa.
The affected area, located at coordinates 8°43’51.89”S and 115°12’43.35”E, covers approximately six are. The case follows earlier public concern after a field inspection by a member of Indonesia’s House of Representatives highlighted the sudden die-off in the Benoa mangrove zone.
The meeting, held at Pelindo’s meeting room, was attended by the Head of Bali’s Forestry and Environmental Agency (KLH), the General Manager of Benoa Port, representatives from Pertamina Patra Niaga, PLN Indonesia Power, the Benoa Port Authority (KSOP), the Tahura Technical Unit (UPTD), and the Mangrove Ranger community.
During discussions, officials confirmed that fuel pipelines owned by Pertamina Patra Niaga and PLN Indonesia Power run near the affected mangrove site.
Inspection results showed that a pipeline owned by PLN Indonesia Power had been checked on December 12, 2025, with no signs of damage or leakage. However, a corroded pipe believed to belong to Pertamina Patra Niaga was identified in the vicinity.
Records also indicated that in September 2025, a Pertamina Patra Niaga pipeline in the area experienced seepage. Although repairs were reportedly carried out at the time, residual oil in the surrounding area was not cleaned up.
Based on these findings, the meeting concluded that the mangrove damage is strongly suspected to be linked to the earlier pipeline seepage.
Head of Bali’s Forestry and Environmental Agency, I Made Dwi Arbani, instructed Pertamina Patra Niaga to immediately carry out restoration efforts in the approximately six-are affected zone.
Pertamina was also directed to submit a written chronology of the September 2025 repair work and prepare a mangrove rehabilitation action plan to be delivered to the provincial environmental agency, KSOP Benoa, and other relevant institutions.
Further investigation will be conducted to ensure compliance with the coordination meeting’s conclusions and to assess potential legal violations and the definitive cause of the mangrove deaths.
Benoa Port General Manager Anak Agung Gede Agung Mataram stated that Pertamina and Indonesia Power have agreed to take responsibility for replanting the dead mangroves, as fuel pipelines from both companies pass through the area.
“Mangrove replanting efforts will be carried out and will be the responsibility of the fuel pipeline asset owners. Pelindo and other related parties will support efforts to ensure the sustainability of the Benoa mangrove ecosystem,” he said on Saturday afternoon.
Rehabilitation work is expected to begin shortly following the coordination meeting.
The case has drawn significant public attention in Bali, particularly after earlier calls from lawmakers urging accountability over the sudden loss of hundreds of mangrove trees in the coastal protection zone.