Indonesia to distribute 4,500 modern fishing boats free to fishers

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia’s Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries will distribute 4,582 modern fishing vessels free of charge to traditional fishers under a $13 billion national fleet modernization program, officials said Wednesday.

The initiative aims to phase out legacy wooden boats, boost fishers' purchasing power, and curb post-harvest losses through built-in cold storage systems across the fleet.

"All fishing vessels under this modernization initiative, funded through various financing schemes, will be granted entirely free of charge to fishers," Director of Fishing Vessels and Equipment Mochamad Idnillah said.

Around 91 percent of Indonesia’s current fishing fleet relies on wooden craft, which lack proper insulation and refrigeration while contributing to timber consumption concerns.

The new steel- and aluminum-hulled vessels will feature modern preservation technology, allowing fishers to preserve catch quality and command higher market prices.

The government aims to complete the full rollout by 2029, coinciding with the end of President Prabowo Subianto's five-year term.

To streamline procurement and construction, the ministry is drafting a presidential instruction to classify the effort as a National Strategic Project.

The procurement strategy combines international and domestic manufacturing partnerships.

Under a bilateral agreement with the United Kingdom, 1,582 vessels ranging from 30 to 500 gross tonnage will be built at an estimated cost of Rp40.43 trillion ($2.25 billion).

The remaining 3,000 vessels, ranging up to industrial scale, will be produced through state-owned enterprise PT Agrinas Jaladri Nusantara with an outlay of Rp194.12 trillion ($10.79 billion).

Total capital investment for the national fleet upgrade through 2029 is estimated at Rp234.55 trillion ($13.04 billion), marking one of the largest structural investments in Indonesia's maritime sector.

Translator: Shofi Ayudiana, Uyu Liman
Editor: Aditya Eko Sigit Wicaksono
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