ITS Adapts Russian Fast Boat Design for Indonesian Waters
Surabaya (ANTARA) - The Sepuluh Nopember Institute of Technology (ITS) is adapting a fast boat design from Russia to match the characteristics of Indonesian waters, in a maritime technology transfer cooperation between East Java and the City of Saint Petersburg.
“The emphasis of this cooperation is technological independence. ITS does not want Indonesia to be merely a spectator or just a market for foreign technology,” said ITS Rector Prof Bambang Pramujati at the Grahadi State Building in Surabaya on Friday.
Bambang explained that ITS has been tasked with reviewing the initial Russian fast boat design to ensure it suits the characteristics and wave conditions of Indonesian seas. The vessel, redesigned by ITS experts, will later be produced in Madura by the regional shipbuilding company PT Bintang Timur Samudera.
Bambang said the feasibility study for the project has been completed and shows very promising results. The fast boat being developed is reportedly capable of travelling up to four times faster than conventional fleets. “We are targeting market expansion to the international arena after successfully meeting national inter-island mobility needs,” Bambang asserted.
Beyond fast boat development, the cooperation between East Java and Saint Petersburg also encompasses the expansion of the digital ecosystem. Sectors discussed include information technology, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence (AI).
The meeting aimed to open opportunities for long-term collaboration between the East Java Provincial Government and the City of Saint Petersburg. The cooperation focuses on the transfer of technology for developing aluminium fast boats to be adopted in Indonesia, particularly in East Java.
This initiative follows up on a relationship previously initiated by Ir Tri Achmadi PhD, a lecturer in the Department of Sea Transportation Engineering at ITS’s Faculty of Marine Technology.
East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa welcomed the initiative run by ITS with its international partners, as it is seen to support the advancement of maritime technology while boosting regional economic growth. “Seeing how East Java serves as the logistics gateway for Eastern Indonesia, the shipbuilding technology transfer initiated by ITS is crucial and must be supported,” said Khofifah.
Khofifah affirmed that the East Java Provincial Government is committed to facilitating the needs of this industry so it can develop sustainably in the future. Meanwhile, Chairman of the Legislative Assembly of Saint Petersburg, Alexander N Belsky, stated that the Russian side is committed to overseeing the legal aspects and fulfilment of technical documents to ensure the technology transfer process proceeds in accordance with regulations. “This not only opens opportunities for maritime technology transfer but also strengthens diplomatic and economic relations that are mutually transparent,” Belsky said.