Indonesia Mandates Stricter Transport Safety in Riau Islands

Indonesia's Minister of Transportation has mandated enhanced safety oversight for all transportation sectors in the Riau Islands (Kepri). The directive emphasizes rigorous checks on the seaworthiness of vessels, the airworthiness of aircraft, and the competence of their crews, alongside operator adherence to safety systems.

This focus on safety is particularly critical for Kepri, an archipelago with high levels of sea and air traffic. Minister Dudy Purwagandhi highlighted the region's strategic importance and busy transport activity, stressing the Ministry of Transportation's significant role in ensuring passenger safety. "We all know that the Riau Islands is a strategic and very busy region, especially for sea and air transportation movements," Dudy stated.

During a meeting with technical implementation units in Batam, Dudy reiterated the importance of improving safety across land, sea, and air transport. He urged officials to proactively address risks before they escalate into accidents, moving beyond mere administrative checks to verify the actual condition of facilities, infrastructure, crews, and operator safety systems against established standards.

The policy, outlined in Ministerial Instruction No. IM 3 of 2026, includes comprehensive inspections of transport facilities and mandates random checks before departures and after arrivals. This aims to prevent operators from knowing specific inspection schedules. Oversight also extends to maintenance systems, operator compliance, and regular infrastructure evaluations.

Batam's high sea mobility underscores the challenges of transportation oversight in Kepri. For instance, the Ministry of Transportation anticipated around 825,226 sea passengers in Batam during the 2025 Christmas and 2026 New Year period, an eight percent increase from the previous year. These movements occur across six major terminals, reflecting the constant activity and the need for stringent safety measures.