Batam Being Prepared as National Aviation MRO Hub, Says Coordinating Ministry

The Coordinating Ministry for Infrastructure and Regional Development has stated that Batam, Riau Islands (Kepri), is being prepared to become one of the national aircraft Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) centres in Indonesia. Rustam Efendi, Secretariat of the Deputy for Connectivity Coordination at the ministry, said the MRO hub concept aims to strengthen the aviation industry and support connectivity. “The priority is to make several places MRO hubs. Among them are Batam, Jakarta, Surabaya, and Makassar. To build the hub, connectivity is important: how to integrate seaports with airports and industrial centres, including MRO,” he said at the “Indonesia MRO Summit” (IMROS) in Batam on Tuesday. He explained that the Coordinating Ministry for Infrastructure plays a role in coordinating various cross-sector policies to ensure the flow of goods and logistics runs more efficiently. “In Kepri, the ministry’s task is to support the efforts already made by technical ministries and institutions, in order to create effective and efficient accessibility and connectivity,” said Rustam. Meanwhile, Sokhib Al Rokhman, Director of Airworthiness and Aircraft Operations at the Ministry of Transportation, said strengthening the domestic MRO industry aims to improve flight safety while maintaining the competitiveness of the national aviation industry. According to him, the government has taken a number of steps to reduce aircraft maintenance costs, including lifting several import restrictions on aircraft components and pushing for a zero percent import duty policy for certain components.