Published: 2025-06-05
>The Ocean Sustainability Executive Dialogue was officially held at the Ministry of National Development Planning (Bappenas) in Jakarta on Wednesday (June 4th), serving as a national platform to enhance cross-sector collaboration on maritime governance, marine safety, and coastal resilience. The event brought together 46 participants from 21 institutions, comprising 53% Knowledge Partners and 47% Champion Companies, including several members of the UN Global Compact Network Indonesia (IGCN).The Ocean Centre, as the event organizer, emphasized that safety is a prerequisite for achieving a sustainable blue economy. "Safety is the foundation before we can talk about a sustainable blue economy. Without it, we will continue to lose human resources, assets, and investments," said Randhi Satria, Country Project Manager of Ocean Centre at UN Global Compact Network Indonesia.
Marine safety was a central theme, with key issues raised by several government and industry representatives. The Ministry of Manpower (Kemnaker) announced its plan to draft specific regulations for the capture fisheries sector, proposing a gap analysis to ensure international standards such as those from the ILO can be realistically adopted. “We aim to tailor occupational safety regulations to suit national conditions for more effective implementation,” stated a Kemnaker representative.
The Directorate General of Capture Fisheries at the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) highlighted the ongoing insurance schemes implemented since 2016, underscoring the importance of continuity. They also acknowledged BSTF (Basic Safety Training for Fishermen) as a practical and systematic approach to reducing accidents at sea.
One incident discussed during the dialogue involved a vessel that collided with Pertamina’s gas pipeline and had no insurance coverage. Pertamina International Shipping stressed the importance of compliance, particularly mandatory insurance, noting that noncompliance can impact not only shipowners but also critical national assets.
On another front, Dr. Kustariah Tarman from IPB University underlined the importance of nutritional adequacy for seafarers, noting that proper nutrition plays a key role in reducing fatigue and enhancing alertness. "Adequate nutrition is a crucial component of occupational safety at sea," she said.
IGCN urged that safety be recognized as a national priority and emphasized the importance of involving local governments to ensure alignment in safety practices between central and regional levels. The organization also called for greater awareness of the financial and human costs of occupational accidents, which can affect resources, assets, capital, and long-term investments.
The Ocean Sustainability Executive Dialogue marks a significant step forward in building a collaborative ecosystem for robust, safe, and sustainable marine governance in Indonesia.