On Tuesday, May 27, 2025, at 2:00 PM WIB, students and faculty from the Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences (FPK) Universitas Airlangga conducted an educational visit to PT PAL Indonesia (Persero), a leading state-owned enterprise in the maritime and energy industry. The activity combined a seminar introducing the company’s profile, history, and core business lines with an extensive tour of its production facilities, offering participants firsthand insights into Indonesia’s strategic shipbuilding sector.
The seminar began with a comprehensive overview of PT PAL Indonesia’s historical development, tracing its roots back to the VOC administration in 1842, through the Japanese occupation in 1942, the early independence era as the Marine Establishment, and into its modern form as a state-owned enterprise. PT PAL officially became PT PAL Indonesia (Persero) on April 15, 1980. Following the 2022 state-owned enterprise restructuring, the “Persero” designation was removed, and the company is now officially recognized as the Maritime Technology Center. The session highlighted PT PAL’s transformation into a key player in Indonesia’s shipbuilding and maritime defense sectors.
Participants were introduced to the company’s current operational focus, which includes commercial ship production, warships—both surface vessels and submarines—and energy system maintenance. The seminar also detailed the company’s shipyard facilities, including dry docks and floating docks, which serve as the backbone of Indonesia’s naval and commercial fleet construction. One of the critical technical processes discussed was ship testing, divided into two main stages: the Harbour Acceptance Test (HAT), conducted at port to verify onboard systems while docked, and the Sea Acceptance Test (SAT), performed at sea to evaluate the ship’s operational performance under real conditions. Challenges often arise when test results do not fully align with contractual specifications, underscoring the technical precision required in shipbuilding. According to company records, a single ship unit can require up to 3,000 labor hours, with each labor hour valued at approximately IDR 3 million.
The visit continued with an immersive tour of PT PAL’s production facilities, where participants observed various ships in assembly and maintenance, including container carriers, 125-meter warships, and submarines undergoing servicing. This hands-on exposure allowed participants to witness the scale, complexity, and technical rigor of Indonesia’s shipbuilding industry, reinforcing the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in maritime research and education.
Through this educational visit, FPK UNAIR students gained valuable insights into the intricacies of naval engineering, the strategic role of PT PAL in national defense and maritime industry, and the critical importance of innovation and technical precision. The experience is expected to inspire future research, practical projects, and cross-sector partnerships that support Indonesia’s maritime autonomy and the development of skilled human resources in the sector.
