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First electric vessel wins praise from shipyard industry
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Industry Minister Airlangga Hartarto (left) and shipbuilders pose in front of the first Indonesian electric vessel MV Iriana, built by PT Sumber Marine Shipyard, in Tanjung Uncang, Batam, on March 25. (Antara/Try Reza Essra)
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hipbuilders have lauded the launch of Indonesia's first electric sea vessel, the MV Iriana, named after First Lady Iriana Joko Widodo.
“This proves that we should no longer doubt local capability to build international standard vessels. There are many examples of them,” Eddy K. Logam, chairman of the Indonesian Shipbuilding Association (Iperindo), said over the phone on Tuesday.
State firm PT PAL Indonesia exported a warship to the Philippines in May last year. Thailand and Vietnam have reportedly ordered warships from the firm. Turkish company Karpowership plans to a build floating power plant with the firm.
(Read also: Indonesia's state-owned manufacturing enterprises aim to go global)
MV Iriana is the first electricity-powered vessel made locally. The vessel is a cement carrier with a 9,300 deadweight tonnage capacity. It is 117 meters in length, 25.5 meters in width and has a 10 knot speed.
It was launched on the site of the maker, PT Sumber Marine Shipyard, in Tanjung Ucang, Batam, Riau, on Saturday. The vessel was ordered by shipping service provider PT Pelayaran Andalas Bahtera Baruna.
Its launch, Industry Minister Airlangga Hartarto claimed, made Indonesia the third country to build a vessel with an electric propulsion system in Asia after Japan and Taiwan.
The building of the MV Iriana took one year and involved 800 workers. Most of the steel came from PT Krakatau Posco, a joint venture between state steel producer PT Krakatau Steel and South-Korea-based Posco. (bbn)
