Minister Says Many Companies Interested in Sea Route Hajj Proposal

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Minister of Religious Affairs Nasaruddin Umar said that several companies have approached his office to propose the idea of conducting Hajj pilgrimages via sea routes.

However, he noted that these companies do not own their own vessels.

"There have been no further discussions. Many companies have come to the office to present this concept, but they don’t have ships. They may have partnered with external parties, which could make the cost high," Nasaruddin said when met at the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture in Jakarta on Thursday, July 10, 2025.

According to Nasaruddin, there are currently no sea-based Hajj pilgrimages in operation. However, for Umrah, some pilgrims have used sea travel, although not directly from Indonesia.

"For instance, a person might fly to a nearby country and board a cruise ship to perform Umrah. There are one or two Indonesian pilgrims doing this, but I’m not sure about the cost," he said.

He explained that sea vessels generally have large capacities and that Saudi Arabia already has facilities to support pilgrimages via sea. In terms of cost, he said it could be more affordable if there are multiple operators.

"If there is strong competition, it could become cheaper. But if there’s only one provider, the cost will be high," Nasaruddin added.

He emphasized that sea travel for Hajj and Umrah is not a new concept. In the past, Indonesia used ships such as the Belle Abeto and Gunung Jati to transport pilgrims to Saudi Arabia.

"Back then, it took three to four months. Now, perhaps the ships are faster and there are better sea routes," he said.

Nasaruddin previously explained that the idea of conducting Hajj by sea resurfaced after he and President Prabowo Subianto visited Saudi Arabia on July 2.

He stated that the Ministry of Religious Affairs has started discussions with Saudi authorities to explore the possibility of implementing Hajj and Umrah trips via sea.

"We believe that introducing Umrah and Hajj travel by sea is highly promising," Nasaruddin said in a written statement on Tuesday, July 8, 2025.

The government believes sea transportation could offer broader access to the Holy Land, particularly for pilgrims from Asian countries, through ports such as Jeddah in Saudi Arabia.

"Not only countries nearby like Egypt, but also Indonesia and other Asian nations could benefit from this route," Nasaruddin said.

Dede Leni Mardianti contributed to the writing of this article.

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