Quality of Sukamiskin Prison Speedboats Impresses Ship Captain: Thought They Were Foreign Products
The quality of speedboats manufactured by inmates at the Sukamiskin Prison in Bandung, West Java, has been recognised by Januar Krisna Watimenna, a ship coordinator for a local company. He admitted that he initially believed ‘Sukaboat’, the brand produced by the Sukamiskin Prison inmates, was a foreign-made product.
“We have several boats, some made of wood, some domestic fibre, and some foreign fibre. I was quite surprised to see the boats made by our colleagues in the prison. I even doubted whether they were made here or abroad,” Januar told reporters on Tuesday (1/9/2026).
Januar stated that his company has been using the Sukaboat SB-6 model for over three months. The 6-metre vessel is currently utilised to oversee water sports activities.
“The boat is currently at Karang Beras Island to monitor water sports activities, such as jet skiing and banana boating,” Januar said.
When asked what caused him to doubt the domestic origin of the Sukaboat, particularly given its production by inmates, Januar noted the high-end finish. “Because the quality is similar to foreign products. In terms of finishing, colour, and shape, it looks like it comes from an overseas shipyard, not a domestic one.”
He assessed that the hull surface is very smooth and neat, and the materials used appear robust. “Initially, I thought the material was aluminium rather than fibre, because the finishing is of a high-class fibre standard. No domestic producer has been able to match the work from Sukamiskin Prison,” Januar added.
Regarding the design, Januar noted that the Sukaboat SB-6 is excellent. “The design is very good; the look is great.”
Furthermore, Januar believes that Sukaboat has the potential to attract significant orders if it reaches the right market. He expressed his pride in the product, sharing news of the inmate-made speedboats with fellow boat operators.
“Overall, this boat is excellent. With this level of quality, if it is released into the domestic market, it can certainly compete,” he concluded.
For context, the creation of Sukaboat involves a collaboration where inmates convicted of corruption cases, who possess managerial experience and specific expertise, work alongside inmates convicted of general crimes who handle the technical aspects of production.
Sukaboat was pioneered in March 2024 through vocational training programmes. What began as a work guidance initiative has since evolved into a production line that sells products to external parties.
The first project was named Sukaboat 1.0, which focused on producing rescue boats or dinghies—small vessels used as support boats for larger ships like the Pinisi.
Subsequent products included the Duchy, measuring 27 feet (approximately eight metres). In 2025, Sukaboat moved into its second generation, known as Sukaboat 2.0.
The product range continues to diversify, including the SB6, the 8-metre SB8 multipurpose, the SBF10 for fishermen, and the upcoming SB10 concept, which is targeted to reach speeds of 50 knots.