RRI.CO.ID, Surabaya - State-owned shipbuilder PT PAL Indonesia has welcomed a new government policy requiring state-owned shipping companies and other state-owned enterprises (BUMN) to procure vessels from domestic shipyards, describing it as a strategic step to strengthen the national maritime industry.

PT PAL President Director Kaharuddin Djenod said the policy provides a critical foundation for economic growth, noting that the shipbuilding industry has a broad multiplier effect across the national economy.

“The shipbuilding industry drives many sectors at once, from steel and electrical systems to machinery, while also absorbing a large number of skilled workers. The impact is directly felt by the national economy,” Kaharuddin said in Surabaya on Friday, as quoted by Antara.

He said the policy represents an important mandate for PT PAL to reinforce the domestic shipbuilding industry and develop an integrated maritime ecosystem. According to Kaharuddin, strong state support for national industries is essential to building a sustainable, long-term maritime industrial base.

He emphasized that strategic industries such as shipbuilding require market certainty and consistent policy support to grow, innovate, and expand production capacity.

Kaharuddin added that a shipyard consolidation program currently being prepared by the government will be strengthened in 2026, with the aim of increasing national production capacity and expanding job creation.

The initiative aligns with the government’s broader vision of positioning the maritime sector as a pillar of national development.

Beyond industrial growth, Kaharuddin said that the construction of maritime infrastructure by domestic shipyards would also strengthen regional connectivity, particularly in coastal and island areas.

Improved sea infrastructure is expected to open new economic access points and support more evenly distributed growth across the archipelago.

“Building an independent shipbuilding industry cannot be achieved overnight. However, the current policy direction, which increasingly favors domestic industry, marks an important moment for the future of Indonesia’s maritime ecosystem,” he said. ***