Forced to Raise Prices

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Ferry operators are demanding that the government fulfill its promise. They are urging the Transportation Ministry to implement adjustments to interprovincial ferry tariffs that have been pending since 2024. "Operating costs keep rising," Aminuddin Rifai, Secretary-General of the Indonesian River, Lake, and Ferry Transportation Operators Association (Gapasdap), told Tempo on Thursday, May 7, 2026.

According to Aminuddin, ferry operators are struggling to absorb rising expenses, particularly for vessel maintenance and spare parts. Every year, ships must undergo docking and maintenance, including the replacement of engine components, ship equipment, and safety gear. The problem is that the prices of spare parts and ship equipment—most of which are imported—have surged since global geopolitical tensions intensified. The situation has been worsened by the rupiah's continuing depreciation. Based on Bank Indonesia's Jakarta Interbank Spot Dollar Rate data as of May 7, the rupiah had weakened to 17,362 per United States dollar.

Amin—Aminuddin Rifai's nickname—said prices for ship components and equipment had risen by 20 to 30 percent. Lubricant prices have also climbed about 20 percent since the start of the year. Vessel docking costs have soared as well. Annual maintenance expenses for a ship now average Rp1 billion, (around US$57,800) with 30 to 40 percent of the costs paid in US dollars. "We have to import spare parts and ship equipment," he said. At the same time, bank loan interest burdens have also increased.

Gapasdap sent a letter to Transportation Minister Dudy Purwagandhi on Monday, April 20, 2026, demanding the implementation of ferry tariff adjustments. Amin said the tariff increase request was initially submitted in 2019. At that time, business operators calculated that tariffs were 38 percent below production costs, based on an exchange rate assumption of Rp13,951 per US dollar. "The tariff shortfall was later recalculated together with the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment," Amin said. The revised calculation reduced the shortfall to 31.8 percent.

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