Pelni Proposes PMN Of IDR 500 Billion To Buy One New Ship

Illustration (Photo: Doc. ANTARA)

PT Pelasero Nasional Indonesia (Persero) or Pelni proposed an injection of state capital participation (PMN) of IDR 500 billion sourced from investment reserves.

The funds will be used to purchase new ships.

President Director of Pelni Tri Andayani said, 46 percent of Pelni's passenger ships are 30 years old.

Therefore, this PMN is needed to replace ships that must retire.

"We propose PMN 2024 of IDR 500 billion for the purchase of a new new building ship unit to replace one of our 12 passenger ships, which in 2023 has passed their technical age of 30 years," he said in a Hearing Meeting with Commission XI of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Tuesday, July 2.

Andayani said, based on calculations, his party needed funds to buy a new ship unit to reach Rp1.5 trillion.

The rest will be applied to PMN for the upcoming 2025 fiscal year.

"Meanwhile, we will propose a shortage of IDR 1 trillion to PMN for the 2025 fiscal year," he said.

He emphasized that the shipbuilding process would later open an auction scheme.

This includes opening opportunities for foreign and domestic companies.

"This has not (defined) the design process, then later we will open the bidding process, our bidding will open everything, at home and abroad," he said.

On the other hand, Andayani continued, ship updates are important for operational cost efficiency because old ships require large costs in terms of maintenance.

In addition, he continued, the operation of old ships also carries a high risk of damage during use. This includes threatening the safety of thousands of passengers.

"The urgency of PMN allocation is that the operational cost inefficiency is getting higher the age of the ship, so the higher the cost of repair maintenance services," he said.

"Actually, this is like this, if we are young again with these ships, we will replace them, so by itself there will be efficiency in terms of PSO values from the government because the cost of fuel will certainly not be as expensive as the existing old ships," concluded Andayani.