'Iwak' AI Technology from Pertamina Helps Cilacap Fishermen Prepare for Sea Voyages

For traditional fishermen, going to sea always involves uncertainty. Fuel is spent, and significant time and energy are at stake, yet fishermen often return with disappointing catches. In South Cilacap, Central Java, approximately 41 per cent of the 6,806 fishing trips recorded by MetaSeaco resulted in losses.

This situation prompted the startup, a graduate of Pertamina’s Pertamuna programme, to develop ‘Iwak’. This technology, based on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and satellite data, helps fishermen determine the best time to go to sea, the target fish species, and potential coordinate points.

“From home, fishermen can already know whether they should go to sea that day or not. If they do go, this technology also provides recommendations for coordinates and the best time to catch fish,” said MetaSeaco CEO, Catur Prasetyo Nugroho, in a written statement on Sunday (30/8/2026).

Currently, Iwak is being used by 15 fishing boats in Cilacap. As a result, operational costs have been reduced by approximately 23 per cent, while average fisherman income has increased by 68 per cent. The proportion of loss-making fishing trips has also dropped from 41 per cent to around 30 per cent.

Predictions have also shown promising results. Accuracy for Spanish mackerel reaches 91 per cent, pomfret 85 per cent, and largehead hairtail 70 per cent. In one particular trip, fishermen who followed coordinates with high prediction scores were able to earn approximately Rp 3 million.

From the 15 boats in Cilacap, this innovation now has the opportunity to reach more villages. Through the collaboration of Pertamina’s Independent Energy Village (DEB) and the Pertamuda programme, MetaSeaco’s technology will be developed and replicated to support Pertamina’s fostered communities around its operational areas.

This collaboration was part of the Pertamina 2026 Independent Energy Village Festival at Grha Pertamina, Jakarta, on Friday (28/8/2026). Pertamina is encouraging DEB to be not only a place for utilising new and renewable energy but also a space where innovation meets the real needs of the community.

“The more appropriate technology that can be applied, the better. The hope is that the impact of our 269 Independent Energy Villages can grow even larger,” said Pertamina’s Vice President of CSR & SMEPP Management, Rudi Ariffianto.

In addition to MetaSeaco, innovation will also be brought by Terangin, a renewable energy startup and a Top 3 Pertamuda 2025 winner in the Energy Future category, to DEB Juntinyuat, Indramayu. This includes automated laser-based bird deterrent technology to help farmers reduce pest disturbances.

Meanwhile, Terangin CEO Muhammad Hanif is optimistic that the application of this technology can help farmers reduce bird pest interference while simultaneously increasing agricultural productivity.

“Thank you to Pertamina and Pertamula for providing various forms of support, ranging from funding and mentoring to publication and much more. This support is very helpful for us to continue growing and becoming more independent,” he said.

Furthermore, in DEB Nagari Katapiang, Pertamina is partnering with PT Global Vision Tech to develop the coconut commodity value chain, ranging from increasing community capacity to processing and creating value-added products.

For Pertamina, this series of collaborations demonstrates that innovation should not stop at the prototype stage or winning competitions. Innovation must find its way to the community.

“Through the 2026 Independent Energy Village Festival, Pertamina is encouraging more innovations by the nation’s children to find implementation spaces within society. Because when energy, technology, and innovation meet community needs, what grows is not only productivity but also independence,” concluded Rudi.