Indramayu Fishermen Opt to Dock Ships, Unable to Afford Fuel

Hundreds of fishermen’s vessels are still parked at the mouth of Karangsong Port, Indramayu Regency. Thousands of fishermen, who are crew members (ABK), are now idle.

This situation came to light when hundreds of fishermen held a demonstration at the Karangsong Fish Auction Site (TPI), Indramayu Regency, on Monday, 4 May 2026. In the protest, the fishermen complained about the sharp rise in non-subsidised diesel prices. “The price of non-subsidised diesel has gone up insanely. This increase is strangling the fishermen,” said the General Chairman of the Gerakan Nelayan Pantura, Kajidin.

The current price of non-subsidised diesel has reached Rp27,000 per litre. This is a drastic increase from the previous Rp16,000 per litre. Kajidin explained that for vessels over 100 GT, the diesel requirement is around 100,000 litres for a sea voyage.

“Vessels over 30 GT must use non-subsidised diesel,” said Kajidin. If the price of non-subsidised diesel reaches Rp30,000 per litre, it would cost Rp3 billion just to buy the diesel. “This cost does not include provisions for the ABK. Usually, they go to sea for about eight months,” said Kajidin.

This situation is exacerbated by fish prices that have not risen accordingly. According to Kajidin, fishermen’s catches range from 100 tonnes. With fish prices at Rp22,000 per kilogramme, the income obtained is only Rp2.2 billion. “Fish prices cannot keep up with sea voyage costs, especially diesel prices,” he said.

As a result, many vessel owners prefer to “park” their ships. Kajidin did not deny that some vessels are still at sea because they departed before the diesel price surged. “But the vessels currently at sea will face the same fate when they return to land,” said Kajidin.

Therefore, Kajidin asked the government to step in to save the capture fisheries industry players. “We hope the government provides a special price for non-subsidised diesel for fishermen, at a rate above the subsidised price but below the industrial diesel price.”

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Sea Fishing Cooperative (KPL) Mina Sumitra Karangsong, Suwarto, revealed that there are around 600 vessels at Karangsong Port. Of that number, about 300 vessels have a tonnage over 30 gross tons (GT) or use non-subsidised diesel, while the rest are under 30 GT and can use subsidised diesel.

Each vessel employs around 15-17 ABK. Thus, there are now thousands of fishermen who are ABK left unemployed because the vessels are not setting out to sea.

Of the 300 vessels using industrial diesel, now more than 100 have not gone to sea since after Eid al-Fitr. Meanwhile, those still at sea, according to Suwarto, will face the same problems as the fishermen on land are complaining about now.