Pelni's Rp4.5 Trillion Ship Project to Test National Shipyard Capabilities
The plan by PT Pelayaran Nasional Indonesia (Pelni) to build three new passenger ships worth Rp4.5 trillion is being viewed as a momentum for the national shipyard industry to prove its capacity. The Indonesian Shipyard and Offshore Industry Association (Iperindo) assesses that the project can test the ability of local shipyards to build modern vessels to international standards.
Iperindo Chairperson Anita Puji Utami stated that the construction of the three new Pelni ships must serve as an implementation of strengthening the national shipbuilding industry. According to her, the project is not only about adding to the fleet but also an opportunity to enhance the domestic shipbuilding industry’s capabilities.
“This project for the three new Pelni ships must be a concrete implementation of President Prabowo’s directive,” Anita said on Monday (10/8/2026).
Anita noted that President Prabowo has requested the formulation of a national fleet development plan so that more logistics transport is carried out by Indonesian-flagged vessels. This policy is also directed at strengthening the capabilities of the national shipbuilding industry. This is in line with the current situation, where approximately 95 percent of Indonesia’s goods transportation still uses foreign-flagged ships.
“In fact, Danantara CEO Rosan Roeslani conveyed that the President’s directive includes developing the national fleet and enhancing the capabilities of shipyards, both state-owned and private, to be able to build ships of international standard,” Anita added.
According to Anita, Indonesia needs to prove its ability not only in operating ships but also in building modern vessels with quality that can compete in the international market. Therefore, the Pelni three-ship project is considered an opportunity to test the capacity of national shipyards.
Anita said the involvement of an Italian company in the ship design process is not an obstacle to construction in Indonesia. In the global shipbuilding industry, the design provider and the shipbuilder are two distinct entities. “As long as technical specifications, safety standards, and international classification requirements are met, the construction can be carried out by national shipyards,” she continued.
Iperindo hopes that Danantara, as a strategic shareholder of state-owned enterprises, can ensure that the Pelni shipbuilding project has an impact on strengthening the national maritime industry. According to Anita, the project can be a concrete step to strengthen the national fleet while reducing dependence on foreign-flagged vessels.
“Iperindo will support the successful construction of the three new Pelni ships in Indonesia. This is a golden opportunity to show the nation the capabilities of the Indonesian shipbuilding industry,” Anita asserted.
Anita added that a number of national shipyards have expressed their readiness to participate in the construction. The national shipbuilding industry has the capacity to build up to approximately 1,200 ships per year. This capacity is supported by repair facilities of around 36,000 dock spaces and a supporting industry network that produces various ship components, from steel plates, pipes, and cables to paint, diesel engines, generators, cranes, and electrical systems.
“If strategic projects like this are entrusted to national shipyards, the benefits will not only be the production of three new ships but also the strengthening of the competitiveness of Indonesia’s maritime industry, job creation, increased use of local components, and the stimulation of the national economy,” Anita said. With this capacity, the Pelni project has the potential to become a benchmark for the national shipbuilding industry’s ability to construct large-scale passenger ships while strengthening the domestic maritime industry supply chain.