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View all search resultsFishermen call for clearer $2.9b vessel upgrade program
President Prabowo Subianto previously announced the plan as part of his administration’s economic stimulus package, which includes repairing 1,000 vessels of 30 GT and larger vessels of up to 2,000 GT for state-owned enterprises.
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Fishermen prepare to moor their boats to a wooden dock in Karangantu fishing village on Monday in Serang, Banten, as dark cloud hangs over the area. The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has called on people working in the maritime and aviation sectors to stay vigilant against potential high rainfalls caused by extreme weather in several areas across Indonesia. (Antara Foto/Putra M. Akbar)
T
he Indonesian Traditional Fishermen’s Union (KNTI) has urged the government to ensure that the Rp 48 trillion (US$2.9 billion) program to modernize 1,000 fishing vessels is not only adequately funded but also designed to expand access to more distant fishing grounds.
“Is the Rp 48 trillion allocation for vessel modernization sufficient, excessive or still inadequate? And will it actually be funded through the state budget or will there be an alternative financing scheme?” KNTI chair Dani Setiawan said on Saturday, as quoted by Kompas.
He noted that the program has yet to appear in the 2025 state budget, which currently prioritizes the construction of 1,100 Red-and-White fishermen villages. Dani stressed that clarity is needed on whether the allocation will be included in this year’s budget or deferred until 2026.
He emphasized that the costs involved are significant.
For example, building a 30-gross-tonnage (GT) vessel can cost between Rp 10 billion and Rp 15 billion, while larger ships may require upwards of Rp 20 billion, not including investments in supporting infrastructure.
Dani also called on the government to commission domestic shipyards for the project, warning that without strict oversight, the Rp 48 trillion budget could be vulnerable to misuse through inflated pricing.
He further proposed that vessel ownership be collective and managed through fisheries cooperatives to prevent resources from being concentrated in the hands of a few capital owners or elites.
