ASDP Pushes for PSO Certainty to Support Rp23.4 Trillion Fleet Investment

PT ASDP Indonesia Ferry (Persero) requires investment of around Rp23.4 trillion over the next five years to procure 46 new vessels and charter approximately 50 ships. The substantial investment need has prompted the state-owned enterprise to urge the government to provide funding certainty for pioneer crossing services through the public service obligation (PSO) scheme. ASDP President Director Heru Widodo stated that the investment requirement is driven by the company’s ageing fleet, necessitating capable new vessels amid increasingly fierce competition in the ferry business. ‘Our investment for the next five years is substantial, Rp23.4 trillion, to build new ships and charter 50 vessels which will be distributed across several routes,’ Heru said recently. He explained that the investment covers the construction of 46 new ships, comprising 18 vessels to support the long distance ferry (LDF) strategy, 15 vessels to strengthen 14 existing routes, and 13 vessels as part of a fleet rejuvenation programme. Additionally, ASDP is planning 55 projects across 35 ports, including revitalisation, new construction, and partnerships. Heru emphasised that the Rp23.49 trillion figure represents the total project value, not the company’s cash expenditure requirement. He also noted that funding will come from a combination of internal cash reserves and support from Danantara. However, for pioneer crossing services that are not yet commercially viable, ASDP views a more certain financing mechanism through the PSO scheme as essential. ‘This ensures that public service funding has better certainty and sustainability,’ he added. Heru assessed that pioneer ferry services not only connect islands but also support community mobility, logistics distribution, and access to education, health services, and economic activities. Minister of Transportation Dudy Purwagandhi confirmed that pioneer transport services will continue to operate until the end of the fiscal year despite budget constraints. ‘Pioneer services will continue to be implemented until the budget year ends. We are navigating the budget situation, but the most important thing is that services do not stop,’ he said. According to Dudy, the Ministry of Transportation conducts daily monitoring of vessel operations, sailing schedules, and load capacity. Coordination with operators, port authorities, local governments, and relevant agencies has also been strengthened to ensure service continuity. In the long term, the ministry believes that pioneer transport services require strengthened funding support, improved fleet quality and port infrastructure, integration of the national logistics system, enhanced intermodal connectivity, and periodic evaluation of route networks to align with community needs and regional economic development.