Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesia’s Transportation Ministry is strengthening maritime navigation with the International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA) to improve safety and reliability across Indonesian waters.
“Navigation is a vital factor in ensuring maritime safety,” Hernadi Tri Cahyanto, the ministry’s director of navigation, said in Jakarta on Tuesday.
The ministry is hosting a Marine Navigation Safety Seminar in Jakarta from Oct. 5 to 7, featuring IALA experts to share global expertise and improve navigation reliability under national and international standards.
Hernadi said strengthening the navigation system requires providing and upgrading Aids to Navigation (AtoN), while optimizing Vessel Traffic Services (VTS).
The efforts also cover shipping-lane management and development and regular updates to nautical charts to support maritime safety, security and efficient operations.
“We must ensure all navigation systems and services operate optimally, reliably and comply with national and international standards,” he said.
Hernadi praised IALA’s support under a 2024-2025 partnership that included technical missions across navigation districts, recommendations on AtoN, VTS and shipping lanes, and personnel training through the IALA Academy.
The cooperation will continue through 2026-2028, including a Risk Assessment Workshop for the Surabaya West Access Channel using the Simplified IALA Risk Assessment (SIRA) Method.
The workshop will pilot risk assessments supporting the planning, implementation and evaluation of maritime safety measures involving shipping lanes, AtoN, VTS and nautical charts.
With more than 17,000 islands and about 100,000 kilometers of coastline, Indonesia faces significant challenges in maintaining maritime safety.
Hernadi said safety must remain a priority for every vessel and a shared responsibility among transport workers and the maritime community.
The ministry is urging operators, maritime stakeholders, academics and other parties to recognize navigation’s role in supporting its zero-accident policy.
Hernadi also stressed that AtoN must remain fully operational and compliant, while VTS must provide information, manage traffic, respond to distress situations and communicate proactively with vessels.
Nautical charts, including electronic navigation charts, must be updated regularly, while violations that could endanger lives, cargo or the environment must be reported.
The efforts require closer cooperation among the ministry’s Directorate General of Sea Transportation, government agencies, regional administrations, businesses, shipping operators, pilotage providers and the wider maritime community.
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Translator: Muhammad Harianto, Raka Adji
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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