TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Transportation Ministry, through its Directorate General of Sea Transportation, will provide free ship measuring for fishermen to acquire ship pass.

"We will conduct ship measuring for free so that ships can acquire valid documents before sailing," said Chief of Communication and Public Information Bureau of the Transportation Ministry Hengki Angkasawan in a written statement on Saturday, February 9, 2019.

Hengki said that until now, free ship measuring continues to be carried out in a number of regions. In East Java, there are 1,436 ships that have been recorded and proposed to be measured.

Hengki said that as of February 8, 2019, the Tanjung Perak Harbour Master Office has issued Small Pass for 145 ships and Shipwright Pass for 364 ships in East Java. Article 163 of Law No. 17 of 2018 states that all ships registered in Indonesia must have an Indonesian Ship Nationality Document.

The Indonesian Ship Nationality Document can take the form of a Ship Pass (for ships measuring at 175 Gross Tonnage/GT), a Large Pass (for ships measuring at 7 to 175 GT), and a Small Pass (for ships measuring less than 7 GT). The document can serve as proof of ownership, ship nationality document, and can be used as supporting document to apply for insurance and business loans.

"The large pass and small pass serve as ship ownership document and a valid ship nationality document. In addition, the document will allow shipowner to receive travel insurance and can be used as loan collateral," Hengki said.

MUHAMMAD HENDARTYO