Socio Today
The rapid transition toward green energy and sustainable transportation has placed electric vehicles (EVs) at the forefront of modern automotive markets globally and within Southeast Asia. However, as the adoption of battery-powered cars, motorcycles, and commercial vehicles accelerates, unique logistical challenges are emerging in archipelagic nations heavily reliant on maritime transportation. In Indonesia, a country comprising thousands of islands connected by vital ferry networks, a friction point has surfaced between the growing population of EV owners and commercial sea transport operators.
Recent reports from the field have highlighted a troubling trend: several maritime and ferry operators are refusing to transport electric vehicles across domestic waters. This reluctance has sparked confusion, frustration, and inconvenience among consumers who rely on inter-island ferry services for travel and commerce. To address these growing concerns, the Ministry of Transportation has stepped forward to clarify the root cause of the issue, pointing not to an outright ban on green vehicles, but rather to a widespread failure to meet stringent, newly established maritime safety requirements tailored specifically to the unique fire risks posed by lithium-ion battery technology.
Background Context: The Safety Paradox of Maritime EV Transport
Transporting internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles across open waters has been a standard logistics operation for decades. However, electric vehicles introduce entirely different safety dynamics, primarily associated with the chemical composition of their massive lithium-ion traction batteries. Unlike conventional fuel tanks, which present explosion and fire hazards that are well-understood by maritime safety engineers, EV batteries carry the risk of a phenomenon known as thermal runaway.
Thermal runaway is a self-sustaining chemical reaction that can cause a battery cell to rapidly increase in temperature, leading to violent off-gassing, fire, and explosions that are notoriously difficult to extinguish using conventional water-based firefighting methods. A single compromised battery pack can rapidly ignite adjacent vehicles, posing a catastrophic fire hazard to enclosed vessel structures, passenger quarters, and the structural integrity of the ship itself.
Recognizing these severe vulnerabilities, maritime authorities worldwide have begun scrambling to formulate regulatory frameworks to safeguard vessels, crews, and passengers. In Indonesia, the Ministry of Transportation took a proactive step by formally addressing these risks through official regulatory channels, establishing a baseline of operational safety for any vessel tasked with carrying electrified fleets across the nation’s busy maritime corridors.
The Regulatory Framework: Circular Letter Number SE-DJPL 12 of 2024
The foundational guidelines governing the sea transport of electric vehicles in Indonesia are outlined in Circular Letter (Surat Edaran) of the Director General of Sea Transportation Number SE-DJPL 12 of 2024. Issued on April 4, 2024, this regulatory instrument is officially titled Concerning the Handling of Indonesian-Flagged Ships Conducting the Transportation of Electric Vehicles.
The implementation of this circular letter was designed to cover critical operational aspects that operators must strictly observe before allowing any battery-powered vehicle onto their car decks. Among the core provisions mandated by the regulation are precise vehicle placement protocols. Specifically, the circular dictates that electric vehicles must be parked in designated open-deck areas where ventilation is optimal and heat dissipation can occur naturally in the event of a thermal incident. EVs are strictly prohibited from being stowed in lower car decks or enclosed spaces where smoke and toxic gases could quickly accumulate and overwhelm the ship’s internal ventilation systems.
Furthermore, the regulation addresses the state-of-charge (SoC) of the vehicle batteries upon boarding. Under the current guidelines, the battery level of an electric vehicle being loaded onto a ship must be capped at a maximum of 50 percent. This restriction is implemented to reduce the total chemical energy stored within the battery pack, thereby lowering the probability and potential severity of a spontaneous thermal runaway event during transit.
In addition to placement and battery limits, the regulatory framework requires ship operators to upgrade their emergency response readiness. Vessels carrying or intending to carry electric vehicles must be equipped with specialized firefighting gear, thermal imaging devices, fire blankets specifically designed for lithium-ion battery fires, and crew members trained in handling chemical-based automotive emergencies at sea.
Official Clarifications: Addressing Operator Hesitation and Consumer Complaints
Despite the publication of Circular Letter SE-DJPL 12 of 2024, implementation at the operational level has been uneven. Samsuddin, the Director of Shipping and Maritime Affairs at the Ministry of Transportation, formally acknowledged that his office continues to receive reports regarding operators refusing to board electric vehicles.
In response to a flurry of complaints lodged by frustrated service users and EV owners, the Ministry has initiated a renewed socialization campaign. The objective is to re-educate both operators and the public on the exact technical parameters mandated by the existing circular letter to ensure that safety compliance does not become an obstacle to national connectivity, while simultaneously preventing maritime disasters.
"Indeed, we are still receiving information that several operators remain reluctant to transport electric vehicles," Samsuddin stated, addressing the media regarding the ongoing logistical bottlenecks. He emphasized that the ministry stepped up communication efforts immediately after receiving formal grievances from commercial transport users who faced unexpected turn-aways at various ports.
Samsuddin explicitly clarified that the Indonesian government maintains no policy prohibiting the shipment of electric vehicles via maritime transport networks. Rather, the rejections observed at ports are purely a consequence of operational non-compliance with the safety standards stipulated in the regulatory guidelines.
"Therefore, we re-issued this circular letter after receiving complaints from service users regarding several operators who were unwilling to transport them," Samsuddin explained. He noted that when operators decline to board an EV, it is generally because one or more mandatory safety provisions—ranging from proper deck designation to battery state-of-charge verification—cannot be verified or fulfilled at the point of loading.
"Perhaps in this case, there are requirements within the circular letter that were not met. Yes, there were unmet requirements, leading them to be unwilling to transport," Samsuddin elaborated, stressing that the primary concern of ship captains and operators is liability and the absolute preservation of maritime safety.
The Ministry also called for public understanding, urging vehicle owners to recognize that port rejections are safety-driven precautions rather than arbitrary discrimination against green technology. "So this also needs to be understood by the public, perhaps, that it does not mean they are rejected and then simply ignored. It is possible that the conditions already outlined in the circular letter were not fully satisfied for the sake of safety," he added.
Stepping Up Governance: From Circular Letters to Permanent Regulations
As the electric vehicle market in Indonesia experiences exponential growth—spurred by government incentives, infrastructure expansion, and increasing consumer environmental awareness—the volume of inter-island EV mobility is projected to surge dramatically in the coming years. Recognizing that a temporary circular letter is merely an interim solution, the Ministry of Transportation is already laying the groundwork to elevate the legal standing of these maritime safety protocols.
Samsuddin revealed that the Directorate General of Sea Transportation is actively considering the evolution of the current guidelines into more permanent and binding regulatory instruments. The transition pathway envisions upgrading the policy from a Director General Decree (SK Dirjen) to a comprehensive Ministerial Regulation (Peraturan Menteri).
"Yes, the next phase will be in the form of a Director General Decree," Samsuddin noted, outlining the incremental steps the government is taking to institutionalize maritime EV safety protocols.
However, the Ministry is deliberately proceeding with measured caution, withholding any rigid timeline for the rollout of the upgraded regulatory framework. This cautious approach stems from the government’s desire to align domestic standards with evolving global guidelines. Maritime authorities in Jakarta are continuously monitoring ongoing studies, recommendations, and technical manuals being developed by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for the safety and security of shipping and the prevention of marine and atmospheric pollution by ships.
"As of now, it is still in the form of general guidance," Samsuddin concluded, highlighting that the global maritime community is also actively grappling with the standardization of electric vehicle transport policies across international waters.
Broader Implications for Industry, Logistics, and Infrastructure
The ongoing friction surrounding the transport of electric vehicles across Indonesian waters underscores a broader systemic challenge: the infrastructure and regulatory ecosystem often lag behind the rapid pace of technological disruption. As Indonesia aggressively pursues its downstream nickel processing and EV manufacturing ambitions, positioning itself as a regional hub for electric mobility, domestic logistics must adapt seamlessly to support this industrial transformation.
For commercial shipping lines and ferry operators, compliance with safety regulations requires significant capital expenditure. Equipping older vessels with specialized open-deck configurations, investing in advanced thermal fire-suppression systems, and providing specialized safety training for maritime crews impose financial and operational burdens. Smaller operators, in particular, may struggle to absorb these costs immediately, leading to a patchwork of compliance levels across different ferry routes and operators.
Conversely, for consumers and automotive industry stakeholders, the current situation highlights the critical need for greater transparency and pre-trip preparation. EV owners traveling across islands must increasingly verify whether specific ferry operators are fully equipped and certified to handle electric vehicles, ensuring they meet pre-boarding requirements such as maintaining lower battery charge levels.
Ultimately, bridging the gap between national green energy ambitions and practical maritime safety will require sustained collaboration between the Ministry of Transportation, ship operators, port authorities, and automotive manufacturers. By establishing clear, enforceable, and globally aligned regulations, Indonesia can foster a secure, reliable, and sustainable logistics network capable of supporting the electric vehicle revolution without compromising the safety of passengers and crews navigating the nation’s vast waters.
