Indonesia: Shipping

What system of port state control applies in your jurisdiction? What are their powers?

Indonesia implements port state control based on its national laws and its membership in the Tokyo Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control in the Asia-Pacific Region ("Tokyo MOU"). Harbour masters (syahbandar), appointed under the authority of the Indonesian Ministry of Transportation ("MOT"), are vested with broad port state control powers under Article 218 of Law No. 17 of 2008 on Shipping, as amended by Law No. 66 of 2024 ("Shipping Law"), and Government Regulation No. 31 of 2021 on the Implementation of the Shipping Sector ("GR 31/2021").

Port state control is further governed by MOT Regulation No. PM 119 of 2017 on Foreign Ship Seaworthiness and Safety Inspection Officers, which outlines safety inspection procedures for foreign vessels and expressly refers to the Tokyo MOU framework. Port state control officers, acting under the direction of the harbour