Transformation of
Surabaya into a port city
Surabaya's economy grew rapidly through commercial activities on the Kali Mas River, making it a leading port city before the Tanjung Perak port was built in 1920. The Kali Mas port became a center of trade with warehouses built along the river to store commodities. Loading and unloading activities at the port were regulated by a customs and excise system, including the use of “booms” to control ships entering and leaving.
The Customs Market, which has existed since 1849, became a distribution center for seafood and spices, well-managed after being regulated by the Market Department. Surabaya also had a black market in the white Kembang Jepun building, where illegal goods were sold. By the end of the 19th century, Surabaya had become the largest city in the Dutch East Indies and the third-largest sugar port in the world.
The construction of Tanjung Perak Port was designed to replace Kali Mas Port, with modern facilities to support trade and defense. Construction began in 1907 and was completed in 1921. Tanjung Perak was equipped with twin roads and the Ferwerda Brug bridge, which could be opened for ships. The port served as a center for loading and unloading activities and a military base, as well as connecting the city center with the port.
Surabaya's industrialization and modernization during the Dutch East Indies era
Surabaya already had industrial centers before the arrival of the Dutch, but they were still in a simple form. The arrival of the colonial government brought modernization, creating two models of industry: small-scale folk industry and large-scale modern industry. The Artilleri Constructie Winkel weapons factory built by Daendels was one of the earliest examples of modern industry.
The Cultuurstelsel (forced cultivation) policy implemented by Johannes van den Bosch in 1830 encouraged the production of export crops, particularly sugar and coffee, and accelerated the development of the sugar industry in East Java. Surabaya became a center of industry and trade, with many sugar factories using modern machinery.
In 1870, the Agrarian Law and the Sugar Law promoted economic liberalization, increasing the number of sugar factories and steam engines in Java. N.V. Machinefabriek Braat, established in 1901, became the largest machinery and metal casting factory in Surabaya, demonstrating industrial diversification.
The city government also established an integrated industrial zone at the former Ngagel sugar factory, which became the first industrial zone in Indonesia. This zone attracted many investors, including N.V. Machinefabriek Braat, which began building a factory there in 1920, followed by other factories.
