Government and PT PAL to soon draft maritime industry roadmap
Minister of National Development Planning/Head of the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) Rachmat Pambudy said the government together with PT PAL will soon draft a national maritime industry roadmap.
The roadmap will regulate the division of focus among shipyards, including strengthening PT PAL in the military and defence sector, as well as strengthening the involvement of other shipyards in the civilian sector.
“We will soon form a joint team for the preparation of the maritime industry roadmap,” he said when meeting President Director of PT PAL Indonesia Kaharuddin Djenod, according to an official statement, Jakarta, Friday.
According to the Minister of National Development Planning, the development of the maritime industry needs to be carried out in an integrated manner because it serves as one of the engines of economic growth while also encouraging the mastery of high technology.
Bappenas will also coordinate with relevant ministries regarding the plan to issue a Presidential Regulation as the foundation for strengthening the national maritime industry.
This effort is being undertaken by Bappenas to encourage the acceleration of national maritime industry consolidation by strengthening the role of PT PAL Indonesia as National Consolidator and Lead Integrator.
President Director of PT PAL Indonesia explained that the acceleration of maritime industry consolidation needs to be carried out comprehensively because shipbuilding has a multiplier effect on various supporting sectors, ranging from docks, maritime infrastructure, logistics, to the component industry.
“The maritime industry is one of the mother industries that drives various other industrial sectors,” said Kaharuddin.
One of the scenarios being promoted is ship orders through PT PAL, where the work can then be distributed to other domestic shipyards. This scheme can be carried out through bundling by utilising PT PAL’s products, designs, and technology.
To support this role, he said, PT PAL has undergone a transformation over the past five years, one of which is the success in increasing production capacity, such as the dock time for the Red and White Frigate being successfully cut from 22 months to 8 months. Meanwhile, the Philippine Landing Dock was able to reach the launching stage within 6 months.
In addition to increasing production capacity, PT PAL is also said to be developing defence technology, including an artificial intelligence-based unmanned submarine known as the Autonomous Submarine.
“The development of the maritime industry is not only oriented towards increasing ship production, but also strengthening the ecosystem and mastery of high technology,” he said.