PTK Helps Extinguish Fire on Batumandi Ferry in the Sunda Strait
Jakarta (ANTARA) – PT Pertamina Trans Kontinental (PTK) helped extinguish the fire and mitigate risks to the marine environment while responding to an incident involving the passenger motor vessel KMP Batumandi, which caught fire in the waters of the Sunda Strait on Tuesday (20 October 2026).
PTK Vice President of Legal and Relations Amran Reza said in a statement in Jakarta on Thursday that the company had secured the area around the incident by deploying its Marine Tanjung Sekong and Marine Tanjung Gerem operational emergency response teams.
“After receiving information about the incident, PTK’s Marine Team immediately went to the scene to assist with the evacuation and isolate the area by deploying special equipment in the form of floating barriers, or oil booms,” he said.
The oil booms were used to contain any spill and protect sensitive areas around the incident by encircling the Batumandi.
“This is a mitigation measure in case of a potential fuel spill, to prevent it from spreading beyond the vessel, particularly while response operations are under way,” he explained.
Amran said the involvement of PTK’s maritime operational units formed part of the implementation of the company’s health, safety, security and environment (HSSE) standards, as well as its commitment to protecting the marine environment.
“We are concerned by the incident in the Sunda Strait. In coordination with the relevant authorities, and particularly because the incident occurred near PTK’s operational area, teams from Marine Tanjung Sekong and Marine Tanjung Gerem immediately went on standby and responded to the scene. Since Tuesday afternoon (20 October 2026), PTK’s Marine Team has remained in the surrounding area with maritime HSSE equipment,” he added.
Amran said PTK had prepared 11 permanent-type oil booms with a combined length of 265 metres, four sea booms, and oil spill response personnel.
The company also deployed a tugboat and its crew, as well as other marine personnel and vessels.
Amran added that the joint response was focused on fully extinguishing the fire on the vessel, monitoring the stability of the oil boom barrier, and keeping PTK’s fleet and personnel at the site on standby.
“Readiness and HSSE measures demonstrate PTK’s commitment to supporting the maritime sector. PTK also appreciates the swift response from the various maritime authorities and relevant agencies, which enabled the evacuation of passengers and crew to proceed smoothly and ensured that recovery efforts at the site were safe and coordinated,” he said.