TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Maritime sector expected to contribute 25% to economy within 10 years
Change Size
Coordinating Maritime Affairs Minister Luhut Pandjaitan (third from right) attends a hearing with the House of Representatives in Jakarta. (Antara/Puspa Perwitasari)
C
oordinating Maritime Affairs Minister Luhut Pandjaitan has said the government hopes that the maritime sector can contribute up to 25 percent to the country’s economy within the next 10 years.
Vice President Jusuf Kalla has said that currently, the maritime sector contributes 11 percent to the economy.
“It is our ambition. It can be achieved if we work more efficiently. The problem is, there are inefficiencies in the sector at the moment,” Luhut said on the sidelines of the 2017 World Ocean Summit in Nusa Dua, Bali, on Friday.
He said major contributors from the maritime sector included fisheries, tourism and energy.
(Read also: Seeking a breakthrough in maritime diplomacy)
As an example of inefficiency, Luhut said Indonesia could only exploit some 10 percent of its potential in fisheries, which is estimated at around US$30 billion.
“Our efforts are not optimized. We still have to fight illegal fishing,” he said.
He also underlined the importance of the fish farming business, the potential of which could one day outstrip traditional fishing.
“Fish farming is also important to prevent overfishing,” he added.
On the subject of maritime tourism, Luhut said the government would continue to develop potential tourist destinations to attract more visitors to the country.
International events like the ASEAN Games and the World Bank-International Monetary Fund Annual Meeting in Indonesia will be used to promote the Indonesian tourist industry, he added. (bbn)
