KNKT Highlights Vehicle Lashing Regulations on Ships, Calls for Evaluation

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – The National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT) believes that several maritime safety regulations in Indonesia need to be reviewed to ensure that existing rules truly guarantee safety when implemented in the field.

KNKT Chairman Soerjanto Tjahjono said an evaluation is necessary if a regulation is deemed ineffective or unable to provide safety assurance.

"If the regulation is not effective or fails to guarantee safety, it must be evaluated and revised immediately to ensure maritime safety," Soerjanto said during a webinar hosted by the Indonesian Transportation Society (MTI) on Friday (18/9/2026), as reported by Antara.

One regulation under scrutiny is the Ministry of Transportation Regulation (Permenhub) PM 115, which governs the transportation of vehicles on ships.

Soerjanto pointed out issues within the provisions concerning lashing or securing vehicles to prevent cargo shifting during voyages.

He cited that while the lashing regulation mandates securing vehicles, other sections include provisions stating that not all vehicles must be lashed.

"If the regulation is ineffective or cannot guarantee safety, it must be evaluated and revised immediately to ensure maritime safety," he emphasized.

Besides the regulatory concerns, KNKT also found obstacles in the application of the rules. Soerjanto noted that the lashing ropes used on ships should have a strength of 10 tons, yet they discovered ropes with much lower strength than required.

Problems were also observed in securing large trucks. Vehicles weighing around 30 to 40 tons or more must be tied on four points on the left and four points on the right side.

However, according to Soerjanto, several ships lack sufficient lashing points to meet these requirements. This situation makes it difficult to optimally enforce the established rules on the ground.

KNKT Highlights Issuance of Sailing Approval Certificates

In addition to vehicle transportation regulations, KNKT has recommended a review of Permenhub PM 28 of 2022 concerning the procedures for issuing Sailing Approval Certificates (SPB) and permissions for ship activities at ports.

Soerjanto said KNKT submitted this recommendation on January 13, 2025.

He explained that pre-departure inspections should not focus solely on verifying administrative documents. Random physical inspections are also needed to ensure the ship's condition meets safety standards.

These inspections should cover ship construction and stability, engine condition, safety equipment, as well as crew competence. Weather factors and potential risks must also be considered before departure.

Transport Minister Calls for Stricter Oversight

Echoing KNKT's concerns, Transportation Minister Dudy Purwagandhi has called for tightened supervision of the maritime sector.