Two Pertamina Vessels Remain in Gulf as Crew Safety Becomes Priority
Jakarta – Pertamina Chief Executive PT Pertamina (Persero) Simon Aloysius Mantiri has provided an update on the current status of the company’s oil cargo vessels operating in the gulf region of the Middle East. Of the four vessels in the area, two have successfully exited the gulf and resumed operations.
The remaining two vessels continue to operate within the gulf area, specifically in the Hormuz Strait, which has been closed by Iran. Simon emphasised that the company’s primary focus is the safety of crew members and protection of company assets.
“Our primary concern is the safety of our crew and the safety of our cargo. Of course, we continue to coordinate with various parties, from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and all relevant stakeholders, and we are pushing to ensure that the situation there improves so that our cargo can operate and transit through that location properly,” Simon explained at the National Command Centre press conference for the Energy, Science, and Mineral Resources Sector’s Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr 2026 event on Thursday, 12 March 2026.
According to Simon, the two cargo vessels that successfully exited the Middle Eastern gulf are Paragon and Rinjani. However, these vessels were not serving the Indonesian market or Pertamina’s captive market. “These happen to be for the non-captive market, so not for Pertamina. One is heading to Kenya and one to India,” Simon noted.
Meanwhile, two other Pertamina-owned vessels remain within the gulf, particularly in the Hormuz Strait: Pertamina Pride and Gamsunuro.
As a precautionary measure to ensure domestic fuel supply, Pertamina has also diversified its sourcing. This strategy aims to reduce dependence on crude oil from the Middle East. “We also source from Africa, from the Americas and from various other locations. So we certainly continue, with support from the government and assistance from various parties, to do our best to ensure that energy services for the public can continue smoothly and safely,” Simon added.