On Imposing Tariffs in the Malacca Strait, Purbaya Refers to UNCLOS and Indonesia's Obligations

Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa has emphasised that the government has never planned to impose tariffs on ships passing through the Malacca Strait. As a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), Indonesia lacks the authority to collect tariffs from ships merely transiting. “We are signatories to UNCLOS, so I am well aware of the regulations. We cannot impose tariffs on passing ships, except in the form of services,” Purbaya stated during a media briefing at the BPPK Building in South Jakarta on Friday, 24 April 2026. “So, for example, in Banten, the Banten Strait, we first create various services (before imposing tariffs),” he added. Purbaya explained that the principles of international maritime law oblige Indonesia to allow shipping lanes and guarantee security for vessels transiting strategic waters such as the Malacca Strait. “Even under freedom of navigation, we are required to permit and safeguard the security of ships passing through there,” Purbaya said. He assured that the Indonesian government will optimise maritime services, including ship piloting, crew replacements, and the provision of logistics and fuel. These facilities will be developed in strategic locations such as the Sunda Strait and Lombok Strait, as well as other points like the Banten region and small islands with potential as anchorages. “So it’s not like that, like gangster money, pay to pass, pay to pass—nothing like that. Iran and America are not signatories to UNCLOS,” he remarked.