KKP: Procurement of Ships from UK Still Awaiting Financing Scheme

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Sakti Wahyu Trenggono stated that the process of procuring ships through the Indonesian-UK government collaboration is still in its initial phase, particularly regarding the financing scheme. This was conveyed by Trenggono after attending a limited meeting with President Prabowo Subianto at the Presidential Palace Complex in Jakarta on Tuesday. According to him, the ship procurement project requires time as it must go through several administrative and inter-ministerial planning stages. “It’s currently in process; it takes time. So the financing issue is still being processed through the Minister of Bappenas, then to the Ministry of Finance, and only after that do we programme it,” said Trenggono. Trenggono explained that the government is currently preparing the funding scheme before the project enters the implementation stage. Therefore, the process is considered lengthy. Besides financing, the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) is also conducting an analysis of the readiness of domestic shipyards to support the project. He hopes that all preparation stages can be completed soon so that the target of completing the ships within two years can be achieved. “Hopefully, it can be expedited soon, because the target is to have them ready in two years,” he added. It is known that Indonesia and the UK are engaged in maritime cooperation through the Maritime Partnership Programme (MPP), where both countries are committed to developing Indonesia’s maritime capabilities, such as enhancing naval capacity and procuring more than 1,000 fishing vessels to support national food security. President Prabowo Subianto has welcomed the Indonesia-UK maritime cooperation positively and considers the partnership as an important element in developing Indonesia’s maritime economy. This partnership is expected to open new investment opportunities in the shipbuilding industry, help revitalise fishing communities, and strengthen national maritime defence and security.