Indonesia graduates 134 maritime officers for lower-emission shipping

Labuan Bajo — Indonesia’s Ministry of Transportation says 134 maritime officers have graduated from the Maritime Polytechnic of West Sumatra, in a programme framed as preparing crew and regulators for lower-emission and increasingly digital shipping.

According to the ministry’s Human Resources Development Agency for Transportation (BPSDMP), the graduation ceremony was held at the campus in Padang Pariaman and linked to global efforts to cut greenhouse-gas emissions from ships.

The ministry connects the training to rapid changes in the sector, including digitalisation, new vessel technologies and the introduction of alternative energy sources such as methanol, ammonia, hydrogen, liquefied natural gas, batteries and fuel cells.

Graduates and upgrading officers

BPSDMP reports that the 134 new officers completed three programmes at the Maritime Polytechnic of West Sumatra (Poltekpel Sumbar).

• 73 graduates from the Diploma IV Maritime Transportation programme
• 36 graduates from the Diploma III Nautical Studies programme
• 25 graduates from the Diploma III Nautical Technology programme
• 397 students completed officer-upgrading courses

The agency states that the same ceremony marked the release of 397 students who had finished upgrading courses designed to enhance the competencies of existing officers.

In the statement, BPSDMP Head Suharto says maritime officers are expected to keep pace with technology while maintaining strong safety standards.

He emphasises that shifts in energy use and digital tools must not weaken protections for passengers, crew, vessels, cargo or the marine environment, and highlights the importance of professional discipline and emergency preparedness.

Preparing for low-emission shipping

BPSDMP places the graduation within an international transition toward lower-emission shipping, citing the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) strategy to move global shipping towards net-zero greenhouse-gas emissions around 2050.

The IMO’s 2023 strategy on reducing emissions from ships calls for greenhouse-gas emissions from international shipping to reach net zero “by or around, i.e. close to, 2050,” and sets indicative checkpoints for 2030 and 2040, alongside targets for the uptake of zero or near-zero emission fuels and energy sources.

According to the ministry, the alternative fuels referenced in the training — including methanol, ammonia, hydrogen, LNG, batteries and fuel cells — are among the options being explored worldwide to meet those goals.

The BPSDMP release does not provide a detailed curriculum for each programme, nor does it specify how extensively these fuels and related safety procedures were taught to the 134 graduates.

It also does not say whether their training included practical work on alternative-fuel vessels, shore-side charging systems, emissions measurement or fuel-handling procedures.

Roles, cooperation and regional relevance

In its statement, the ministry underlines the need for communication and cooperation among government agencies, operators, educational institutions and other stakeholders as shipping technologies and regulations evolve.

Graduates who entered through government scholarship pathways are expected to serve as civil servants and regulators, while regular-track officers may pursue careers across the maritime industry, according to BPSDMP.

For ports and tourist-boat services in areas such as East Nusa Tenggara, including Labuan Bajo, the graduation is relevant as part of building a national pool of officers familiar with lower-emission policies, digital tools and alternative fuels.

The ministry’s statement, however, does not identify any specific assignments for the 134 graduates in East Nusa Tenggara, nor does it outline a timeline for deploying low-emission shipping skills to particular regional ports.

Institutional focus

The director of Poltekpel Sumbar, Budi Riyanto, is quoted in the BPSDMP release as describing the institution’s values as “Humanist, Smart, Sustainable and Eco Friendly,” and calling for continued cooperation between government-track and regular-track officers.

The ministry positions this graduation as part of its broader effort to align Indonesia’s maritime workforce with international decarbonisation targets, while reiterating that safety and environmental protection must remain central as technology and energy use change.

Sources

• International Maritime Organization – 2023 IMO Strategy on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships
• Badan Pengembangan Sumber Daya Manusia Perhubungan (BPSDMP), Ministry of Transportation