AHY Reveals Latest on Giant Sea Wall Project: Construction to Begin This Year?

The government is continuing to mature the Giant Sea Wall project along the North Coast of Java. Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY) stated that the project will proceed in stages and require a lengthy timeframe. According to AHY, the urgency of construction is increasing alongside the growing threat of rising sea levels due to climate change and land subsidence occurring in several northern coastal areas of Java. “This Giant Sea Wall is a flagship project that is large and will certainly have a long process. Not just one or two years, but it could span generations,” AHY said at the DPR on Monday (22/6/2026). The government is currently prioritising construction in areas deemed most vulnerable. The initial focus is directed at Jakarta Bay and the Demak, Semarang, and Kendal corridor, which have long faced threats of tidal flooding and abrasion. The government is also preparing mangroves to maintain environmental sustainability while reducing construction costs. “The approach is not only to build coastal or sea walls that are hard in nature, but also a combination with more natural elements, for example with mangroves,” he stated. Beyond its coastal protection function, the Giant Sea Wall project is also being prepared for the economic development of the Pantura region. AHY said the project involves five provinces, 20 regencies, and five cities, requiring complex cross-regional coordination. “We hope and continue to push that this year we can see more real progress, because building the blueprint is not only related to the wall, but how this Pantura region can develop more economically,” he said. The government is also preparing creative financing schemes, including the utilisation of land value capture. “Because we must attract investment, as the budget is large,” AHY said.