ASDP Commits to Supporting Pioneer Ferry Services for Connectivity in Underdeveloped Regions
Jakarta (ANTARA) — PT ASDP Indonesia Ferry (Persero) has affirmed its readiness to support pioneer crossing services in order to maintain connectivity in the country’s disadvantaged, frontier, outermost and border (3TP) regions, as well as to facilitate the mobility of people and national logistics.
ASDP President Director Heru Widodo said in an official statement in Jakarta on Monday that the company has proposed strengthening support for pioneer service operations through to the end of the year.
“Pioneer services are not merely about connecting one island to another; they are the lifeblood of people’s mobility, logistics distribution, and access to education, health, and economic activity. That is why the sustainability of these services is a shared responsibility,” Heru said.
The government’s commitment to safeguarding connectivity for communities in 3TP regions has been reaffirmed. The matter came to the fore during a coordination meeting led by Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives (DPR RI) Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, together with members of House Commission V and Minister of State Secretariat Prasetyo Hadi.
Also present were Minister of Transportation Dudy Purwagandhi, Minister of Finance Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa, Chief Operating Officer of Danantara Dony Oskaria, and state-owned operators of pioneer transport services, including ASDP.
The meeting discussed the continuity of pioneer transport services in the second half of 2026. With subsidy allocations falling short of operational needs through to the end of the year, the government moved swiftly to find solutions so that transport services relied upon by communities in archipelagic regions would continue running without reducing accessibility.
Heru said ASDP has proposed that pioneer service financing going forward adopt a Public Service Obligation (PSO) scheme, so that funding for public services carries greater certainty and sustainability.
“We appreciate the full support of the government and the DPR RI in ensuring that people continue to receive reliable ferry services,” Heru said.
Heru stressed that government support is a crucial step in preserving pioneer services as the primary lifeline for communities in archipelagic regions.
He said ASDP will continue to work in synergy with the government and all stakeholders to ensure ferry services remain safe, reliable and sustainable, thereby supporting equitable development and economic growth across the remotest corners of Indonesia.
Minister of State Secretariat Prasetyo Hadi said the government has agreed on measures to ensure the continuity of pioneer transport services so that services to the public continue through to the end of the year.
According to him, public transport services in archipelagic regions are a basic need of the people whose sustainability must be safeguarded.
“The government, together with the DPR RI, is committed to ensuring pioneer services keep running so that people continue to have access to reliable transport. The needs conveyed by operators will be followed up in accordance with prevailing mechanisms, including providing solutions for other public transport services,” Prasetyo said.
Deputy Speaker of the DPR RI Sufmi Dasco Ahmad stressed that the continuity of transport services in 3TP regions is an important part of supporting the President’s priority programmes.
Therefore, the issue of public service funding must be resolved promptly through coordination between the Ministry of State Secretariat, the Ministry of Transportation, and the Ministry of Finance.
Minister of Transportation Dudy Purwagandhi expressed appreciation for the resumption of ASDP’s pioneer services in East Nusa Tenggara Province (NTT) while the contract adjustment process and government support are being finalised.
He also backed the shift from the pioneer subsidy scheme to a PSO scheme to provide greater assurance for the continuity of public services.
As a follow-up, ASDP’s pioneer ferry services in East Nusa Tenggara Province resumed operations on Monday (20 July).
Three vessels are now serving the public according to schedule: KMP Ile Mandiri on the Kalabahi–Bakalang–Baranusa–Adonara–Lewoleba–Solor–Larantuka (return) route, KMP Namparnos on the Kalabahi–Pura–Teluk Gurita–Maritaing (return) route, and KMP Ile Ape on the Kewapante–Pulau Besar (return) route.
Meanwhile, KMP Uma Kalada, which serves the Sabu–Raijua–Waingapu (return) route, is temporarily not operating following advisories on extreme weather, in the interest of ensuring sailing safety.