Jakarta, July 11 -- The Ministry of Transportation has said that the plan to open a sea route to Saudi Arabia as an alternative option for Indonesian Umrah and Hajj pilgrims requires an in-depth study to ensure pilgrim safety.

Head of the ministry's public communication and information bureau, Ernita Titis Dewi, said here on Friday that the study would need to look into infrastructure and facility readiness, including port conditions, and supporting facilities such as customs, immigration, and other service systems.

In addition to infrastructure, she highlighted the limited availability of passenger vessels and the need to determine whether sea travel would be more cost-effective compared to air transportation.

The ministry further not...