Giant Sea Wall to Be Built in Phases, Starting from North Coast of Java

The government plans to build the giant sea wall project in phases, with the initial stage focused on the North Coast (Pantura) of Java island. To date, the project is still in the planning phase and does not yet have a final decision regarding the timing or construction scheme. Deputy Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, who also serves as Head of the North Java Coast Management Authority (BOPPJ), Didit Herdiawan Ashaf, stated that the giant sea wall project is still in the deepening stage, particularly concerning construction aspects and resource readiness. “Regarding the giant sea wall, it’s still in the planning stage and we will delve deeper into activities related to construction. That’s it,” Didit said at the Presidential Palace Complex in Central Jakarta on Monday (20/4). He emphasised that there are no new decisions as yet, including regarding investment or definite construction timing. “Not yet, not yet,” he said when asked about the latest decisions. Nevertheless, Didit revealed that the project will start from the Pantura region and be carried out in phases, considering the readiness of available resources. “Pantura first (as the construction priority),” he stated. He also mentioned that the implementation timeline is still being calculated due to various factors, including the utilisation of domestic resources and an environmentally friendly approach. On the same occasion, Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology Brian Yuliarto affirmed that the government will involve lecturers and experts in the giant sea wall construction, including in the technical team handling the project. “So, lecturers who have been conducting research at universities that support acceleration and make the development of the giant sea wall more efficient are invited to get involved,” Brian said. He noted that in the near future, his side will invite several professors with expertise in related fields to join the project development process. “Directly next week, we will invite several professors who already have expertise and are involved in some cases for several projects,” he said. The involvement of academics will not be limited to studies but will also directly enter the team structure handling the giant sea wall construction. “They will be directly involved later, entering the team led by the Head of the Sea Wall Authority,” he said. The giant sea wall project is one of the national strategic programmes (PSN) initiated by the government to address the threat of rising sea levels and tidal flooding in coastal areas, particularly in Java’s Pantura. President Prabowo Subianto previously mentioned that a 535-kilometre sea wall will be built to protect tens of millions of residents and industrial areas concentrated in the region. In Jakarta, this project also forms part of the National Capital Integrated Coastal Development (NCICD). The DKI Jakarta Provincial Government is planned to handle the construction along 19 kilometres, with a target for the groundbreaking in September 2026, while awaiting further directives from the central government.