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JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – A seawall stretching approximately two kilometers beside Muara Baru Port, Penjaringan, North Jakarta, suffered severe leakage on Thursday (4/12/2025).
The seawall leakage occurred when the Muara Baru area was affected by tidal flooding as seawater levels rose due to the full moon cycle.
The leakage did not occur because seawater overflowed from the top of the three-meter-high seawall, but rather seeped from underneath through cracks and porous sections, inundating the surrounding land.
The most severe leakage occurred in sections of the seawall that have not yet been reinforced with cement.
Of the two-kilometer stretch, only about one kilometer in the middle has been strengthened with cement, while the remaining sections remain vulnerable to leakage.
The seawall, with a thickness of around 30 cm, appeared fragile and wobbled when stepped on, indicating a serious structural vulnerability.
Emergency repairs
Repairs to the seawall were carried out by officers from the Water Resources Sub-agency (Suku Dinas/Sudin SDA) of Penjaringan District, North Jakarta City Administration, on Friday (5/12/2025) afternoon. The team temporarily patched four leaking points using sand-filled sacks and cement.
“We patched it using sand and cement. The leaking areas were excavated first, then stuffed with sand until sealed,” explained Suryadi, Field Coordinator of the SDA Penjaringan District.
He assessed that this method was fairly effective in preventing seepage temporarily, although seawater was still seeping through at several points.
Kompas.com observations showed that despite the patching, seawater continued to inundate areas around the cracked sections of the seawall. However, the seepage was not significant and only caused minor pooling around the Muara Baru seawall.
Suryadi stated that although some seawater seepage remained, the major leakage that occurred the previous day had been temporarily addressed.
At the very least, seawater was no longer overflowing onto land in large volumes and inundating residential areas behind the seawall as it had on Thursday.
He also confirmed that the patching work was completed within just two days, as it was carried out by dozens of officers.
Frequently patched
According to Suryadi, the patching of the Muara Baru seawall was not the first time SDA officers had carried out such repairs.
“We have patched it many times before, because we also conduct monitoring. When the sea level is high, we always check and monitor the location,” he said.
If inspections reveal leaking points along the seawall, Suryadi and his team immediately carry out patching using the same method and materials, namely sand-filled sacks covered with cement.
However, on Thursday, patching could not be carried out immediately because the leakage occurred suddenly and became severe, causing a large volume of seawater to overflow onto land.
The leakage occurred due to high seawater pressure during the tidal flooding season in recent days.
“Because the water level was high, the pressure was strong, causing the leak. Maybe it leaked because of crabs or something else, causing damage from underneath,” Suryadi explained.
Government coordination and seawall authority
According to Jakarta DPRD member Tri Waluyo, the Muara Baru seawall is located on land owned by PT Pelabuhan Indonesia (Pelindo).
However, the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government has ensured coordination with Pelindo and Nizam Zachman Port under the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries for long-term handling.
When seawater overflowed, the Jakarta Provincial Government also took various measures to ensure that seawater inundation on land could subside quickly.
“The provincial government also prevented prolonged inundation by deploying mobile pumps and pump stations to accelerate the reduction of standing water on land,” Tri said.
In addition to Pelindo, the Jakarta DPRD will also coordinate with Nizam Zachman Port, which is under the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries of the Republic of Indonesia, regarding future seawall repairs.
Despite the pumping efforts, seawater was still observed pooling around the seawall at a height of about 10 centimeters. The water mixed with trash, debris, grass, and moss, making the area around the seawall extremely slippery and impassable, including a football field next to the seawall.
The football field beside the seawall could no longer be used by children because it was submerged. The water is expected to recede once exposed to heat and if no further seawater seepage occurs.
Potential collapse
A researcher from the BRIN Center for Limnology and Water Resources Research, Budi Heru Santosa, assessed that the seawall leakage must be taken seriously by the government before it worsens.
According to him, there are several risks that may occur if the leaking seawall is not repaired optimally, one of which is piping or internal erosion.
“Seepage erodes the foundation soil of the seawall, especially in locations where the foundation is not deep enough, forming cavities that can trigger structural failure. As a result, the seawall could collapse suddenly,” Budi said.
Another risk is structural degradation. In such conditions, seawater seeping into reinforced concrete structures accelerates corrosion or deterioration of the steel reinforcement, making the seawall concrete fragile.
There are several steps the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government can take to address the seawall leakage. First, the provincial government can carry out emergency sealing of leaking seawall sections.
“Grouting should be carried out immediately on the leaking sections, and temporarily, sheet piles can be installed at the leakage points to prevent the leakage from worsening,” Budi said.
Furthermore, the government is also advised to monitor seawalls in Jakarta through routine inspections.
With regular inspections, the government can quickly identify any damage or leakage, allowing repairs to be carried out more promptly.
The government can also establish agreements with local residents to work together in monitoring the seawall, so that when leaks occur, residents can immediately report them to the authorities.
Community participation
Urban planning observer M Azis Muslim also suggested that the government involve the community in monitoring the seawall.
“The government should take swift action when reports come in or when problems are identified, to repair the seawall and prevent further damage,” Azis said.
Azis stated that the seawall leakage in Muara Baru, which has persisted for years without proper repair, indicates that something has gone wrong within the government.
In fact, the government should have long undertaken various repair efforts to ensure better seawall quality.
“The state must be present in various situations and, most importantly, be responsive. If the leakage has been known for quite some time, why was it not addressed immediately? This concerns public safety and the safety of many people,” Azis said.
Dr. Muh Azis Muslim, M.Si.
Lecturer in Public Administration
