Minister of Cooperatives Inaugurates Ninth Fishermen's Fuel Station Managed by Fishermen

The long struggle of traditional fishermen to easily obtain subsidised diesel fuel has finally borne fruit. Pertamina has introduced a Fishermen’s Public Fuel Filling Station (SPBUN) in Gampong Ujong Pulo Rayeuk, Bakongan Timur Subdistrict, South Aceh Regency, Aceh Province. This SPBUN is the first to be managed by a cooperative owned by the Indonesian Traditional Fishermen’s Union (KNTI).

The inauguration was conducted by the Minister of Cooperatives and SMEs, Ferry Joko Juliantono, Deputy Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Didit Herdiawan, Deputy for Cooperative Business Development at the Ministry of Cooperatives and also Commissioner of Pertamina Patra Niaga Panel Barus, Regent of South Aceh Mirwan, Director of Marketing and Retail at Pertamina Patra Niaga Eko Ricky Susanto, and Executive General Manager of Pertamina Patra Niaga Regional North Sumatra Sunardi.

“It has a capacity of 8,000 litres. This is the ninth time we have inaugurated an SPBUN together with the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, SKK, BPH Migas, and Pertamina Patra Niaga. It provides subsidised diesel for fishermen,” said Ferry after the inauguration on Tuesday, 28 April 2026.

According to Ferry, the SPBUN is also part of the implementation of national priority programmes, indirectly supporting the establishment of the Red and White Fishermen’s Village and the Red and White Village and Subdistrict Cooperatives programme. Collaboration will be developed in other regions. “It is equipped with facilities such as ice factories and others. The aim is to improve the welfare of fishermen living along the coasts throughout Indonesia,” he stated.

“We are committed to distributing energy to the remotest parts of the country. We know that to run the nation’s economy, energy is one of the various factors needed by the community,” added Director of Marketing and Retail at Pertamina Patra Niaga, Eko Ricky Susanto.

In South Aceh, according to Eko, the SPBUN in Gampong Ujong Pulo Rayeuk is the first managed by the KNTI cooperative or the ninth established nationwide. In the near future, the tenth SPBUN will be inaugurated in Semarang. For South Aceh itself, there are already six SPBUNs, 14 in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam Province, and 416 SPBUNs across Indonesia. This year, through the decision of the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, the SPBUN in South Aceh becomes part of the single-price fuel programme.

“This is also President Prabowo’s programme. He wants to ensure that all corners of the country receive energy in the form of fuel, especially subsidised diesel and Pertalite for fishermen and communities in the outermost, frontmost, and furthest areas,” Eko revealed.

He continued that Pertamina is currently collaborating with the Directorate General of Capture Fisheries to develop the Red and White Fishermen’s Village. They hope the SPBUN will become part of economic movement in the region. “The SPBUN is one of the facilities we have prepared. Later, other fishermen’s fuel stations will emerge developed by KNTI,” he said.

KNTI General Chairman Dani Setiawan hopes that the KNTI South Aceh cooperative management continues to consistently oversee the establishment of SPBUN. “This is not short-term work. Today, we finally witness the fruit of the spirit, patience, and struggle to defend small and traditional fishermen in South Aceh. The cooperative management can bring what fishermen have dreamed of, namely access to subsidised fuel to improve their welfare,” he said.

He wants the SPBUN not only to make it easier for fishermen to obtain subsidised fuel. Next, there should be capacity building and business development so that cooperatives, as mandated by President Prabowo, become the backbone of people’s economic independence. He also thanked Pertamina for guiding the entire process.

“This is the ninth fuel station from the KNTI cooperative. Hopefully next month, with Mr Eko’s permission, the cooperative SPBUN in Semarang City will be inaugurated. That means there will be ten cooperatives established and managed by traditional fishermen, managed by coastal women, managed by young people in coastal areas to prosper themselves, to prosper us as coastal communities and traditional fishermen in Indonesia,” Dani stated.