Indonesian Navy to Use B50 Fuel for Patrol Ships to Enhance Efficiency

JAKARTA - The Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Navy (KSAL), Laksamana TNI Muhammad Ali, stated that the Navy will use B50 fuel for patrol ships as part of efforts to save petroleum fuel (BBM). “In the future, we will use B50 fuel. Of course, this will require modifications to the engines on the ships,” Ali said at the Navy Headquarters in Jakarta on Thursday (16/4/2026), quoted from Antara. B50 fuel is a vegetable-based fuel consisting of a 50% diesel and 50% crude palm oil (CPO) mixture. Furthermore, the use of B50 is considered capable of supporting the operations of ships with high mobility, such as sea patrols up to logistics or troop delivery missions. Ali continued that the use of B50 fuel will be carried out gradually in the near future. “For patrols, we are currently still using ships that use B35 fuel,” Ali said. Fuel efficiency was previously also carried out by the Indonesian Air Force, which saved on the use of avtur or aircraft fuel. The Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Air Force, Marsekal Tonny Harjono, said that the step was taken following the surge in global avtur prices. “We fully understand the global situation, one of which is the rise in oil prices. The Air Force is indeed directly affected because fuel must also be saved,” Tonny said at the Air Force Headquarters on Thursday (9/4/2026) last week.