Government Prepares Salvage Operation to Raise Wreckage of Virgo Transport 8
Banjarmasin, VIVA – The Ministry of Transport, through the Banjarmage Port Authority and Harbour Master’s Office (KSOP), has announced that equipment for the salvage operation to raise the wreckage of the vessel Virgo Transport 8 from the seabed of the Java Sea is already available in Singapore.
“It has been confirmed that the salvage equipment is already in Singapore,” stated the Head of KSOP Class I Banjarmasin, Heri Purwanto, during a press conference regarding the 16th day of the search and rescue (SAR) operations for the KM Virgo Transport 8 accident at Trisakti Port, Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, on Monday, 28 September 2026.
He noted that the international insurance club, Protection and Indemnity (P&I), acting as the joint insurer for the owner of KM Virgo, has prepared all the necessary equipment. The next step involves appointing a salvage partner, which is likely to be an international firm, while the local partner is expected to be PT Jasalindo.
“It has been confirmed that the equipment includes a crane barge, complete with a main boom system,” he said. The crane barge and main boom are high-capacity lifting tools specifically used for the evacuation of shipwrecks.
Heri added that a local salvage partner has also been identified, likely PT Jasalindo, as the company has been monitoring the situation and providing data on the ship’s condition using Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) technology since the beginning.
“If I am not mistaken, it is from PT Jasalindo. Jasalindo has been overseeing this activity from the start and has provided essential data. The initial photographic evidence of the ship’s condition was obtained from the Jasalindo team via their ROV technology,” he explained.
Once the salvage partner is appointed, the local partner will first conduct a mitigation assessment of the vessel’s condition while awaiting the arrival of the equipment from Singapore at the SAR operation site to support the lifting process.
“We all hope that all salvage equipment will be at the operation site in less than a week, in accordance with the promise made by the owner of KM Virgo to the leadership of the Ministry of Transport,” said Heri Purwanto.
As of the 16th day of the search and rescue (SAR) operation, as of Monday at 10:00 PM WITA, Basarnas confirmed that 179 people have been found, consisting of 108 survivors and 71 fatalities, while 64 victims remain missing out of the total 243 people listed on the KM Virgo Transport 8 manifest.