Ministry of Transportation Reveals Why Ferry Operators Reject Electric Vehicles Amid Strict Safety Standards

The Ministry of Transportation of the Republic of Indonesia has officially addressed persistent reports regarding maritime transport operators declining to load and transport electric vehicles on inter-island ferry routes. According to high-ranking ministry officials, the reluctance stems fundamentally from the failure to fully comply with rigorous safety protocols and operational requirements mandated by the government for battery-powered transport at sea.

The core regulatory framework governing this issue is outlined in Circular Letter (Surat Edaran or SE) of the Director-General of Sea Transportation Number SE-DJPL 12 of 2024. Issued on April 4, 2024, this directive specifically regulates the handling of Indonesian-flagged vessels engaged in the transportation of electric vehicles. The regulation addresses critical aspects of maritime safety, including designated vehicle placement schemes, structural vessel readiness, and comprehensive emergency response procedures required to be operational onboard commercial vessels.

Despite the issuance of these guidelines several months prior, the Ministry of Transportation acknowledges that friction persists on the ground between service users and shipping operators. Samsuddin, the Director of Shipping and Maritime Affairs at the Ministry of Transportation, confirmed that the government continues to receive reports from citizens and commercial stakeholders who face unexpected refusals when attempting to board vessels with battery electric vehicles (BEVs).

"Indeed, we are still receiving information that several operators remain hesitant to transport electric vehicles," Samsuddin stated, addressing the ongoing operational bottlenecks.

In response to mounting complaints from commercial logistics providers and individual travelers, the ministry has ramped up efforts to socialize the safety provisions detailed in the circular letter. The overarching objective is to ensure that all technical prerequisites are thoroughly understood, disseminated, and uniformly applied across all commercial maritime transport lines to safeguard maritime security.

"Therefore, we have re-circulated this advisory following complaints from service users regarding several operators who were unwilling to provide transport services," Samsuddin explained.

Clarifying Misconceptions Around Ferry Refusals

A prevailing misconception among the public has been that maritime operators maintain a blanket ban or harbor an institutional resistance toward electric mobility. However, government officials emphasize that this is not the case. The refusal by shipping operators is strictly driven by an inability to fulfill mandatory vessel safety standards required when accommodating high-voltage lithium-ion battery loads within confined marine environments.

Samsuddin firmly asserted that no national prohibition exists against carrying electric vehicles via sea transportation modes. When an operator declines service, it is purely a risk-management decision based on non-compliance with technical safety thresholds.

"Perhaps in this case, certain conditions outlined in the circular letter were not fully met. Consequently, the operators were unwilling to undertake the transportation," Samsuddin elaborated.

Under the stipulations of SE-DJPL 12/2024, electric vehicles are subject to specialized stowage and handling rules that differ vastly from conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. For instance, electric vehicles must be positioned strictly within open-deck areas of the vessel. They are strictly prohibited from being stowed in enclosed lower car decks, where fire detection and ventilation systems face different operational limitations.

Furthermore, the regulation mandates that the state of charge (SoC) of the vehicle’s battery must be managed and limited to a maximum of 50 percent prior to boarding. This precaution is designed to mitigate thermal runaway risks. Additionally, passenger and cargo ferries must be equipped with specialized mitigation facilities and fire-extinguishing agents tailored specifically to the unique chemical properties and fire risks associated with lithium-ion battery fires, which cannot be extinguished using standard conventional water hoses alone.

"This is something that the public needs to understand. It is not a matter of arbitrary rejection or an outright refusal to carry the vehicles. Rather, it is likely that the safety conditions stipulated in the circular letter have not been fully satisfied," Samsuddin added.

The Chronology and Evolution of EV Maritime Regulation

The rapid acceleration of Indonesia’s electric vehicle ecosystem has placed unprecedented demands on the country’s archipelagic logistics network. As government subsidies and infrastructure rollouts drive higher adoption rates for battery-powered cars and motorcycles, inter-island travel has surged. This transition caught many domestic maritime operators unprepared, as traditional ferry designs were optimized predominantly for conventional fuel vehicles.

The timeline of regulatory intervention began taking formal shape in early 2024. Recognizing the unique fire hazards posed by lithium-ion batteries—which are susceptible to thermal runaway and notoriously difficult to extinguish once ignited in a marine setting—the Directorate General of Sea Transportation formulated the foundational safety advisory. Released on April 4, 2024, Circular Letter Number SE-DJPL 12 of 2024 served as an immediate emergency guideline to establish baseline safety protocols for Indonesian-flagged ships.

As the domestic market continued to expand throughout the latter half of the year, gaps in implementation became apparent. While major state-owned and private ferry operators adopted the guidelines seamlessly, smaller regional operators struggled with the capital expenditure required to upgrade fire suppression systems and modify designated open-deck parking zones. This disparity in operational readiness led to sporadic service refusals, triggering public debate and subsequent appeals to the Ministry of Transportation.

Strengthening the Legal Framework: Future Regulatory Steps

Recognizing that a circular letter serves primarily as an administrative guideline rather than a punitive legal instrument, the Ministry of Transportation is actively evaluating pathways to elevate the status of these regulations. Samsuddin revealed that the ministry is considering transitioning the current guidelines into a more binding legal format, starting with a Decree of the Director-General (Keputusan Direktur Jenderal) and potentially culminating in a full Ministerial Regulation (Peraturan Menteri).

"The next phase will likely take the form of a Director-General Decree," Samsuddin noted, indicating that the government is systematically moving toward a formalized compliance structure.

However, the ministry is proceeding with measured caution. Officials have refrained from establishing a strict timeline for the implementation of the upgraded regulations. The primary reason for this measured pace is the ministry’s desire to align domestic policies with evolving international standards. Specifically, the Indonesian government is closely monitoring the ongoing development of global technical guidelines and safety recommendations currently being formulated by the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

Because the maritime transport of alternative energy vehicles is a global challenge affecting shipping lanes worldwide, international bodies like the IMO are still drafting comprehensive safety frameworks. Domestic regulators are keen to ensure that future Indonesian ministerial regulations do not conflict with, but rather complement, emerging international maritime safety consensus.

"Thus far, the international guidance remains relatively general," Samsuddin concluded, highlighting the fluid nature of global maritime safety standards regarding electric mobility.

Broader Economic and Logistical Implications

The friction between electric vehicle owners and ferry operators highlights a broader challenge facing Indonesia’s green transition: the synchronization of infrastructure across multi-modal transport sectors. While the automotive and energy sectors have received significant policy backing to accelerate EV adoption, supporting sectors—such as maritime logistics, insurance, and port infrastructure—must undergo parallel modernization.

For an archipelago nation spanning thousands of islands, seamless inter-island logistics are vital to maintaining economic parity and consumer confidence in new technologies. If vehicle owners face persistent uncertainty regarding whether their electric cars can be ferried between major islands like Java, Sumatra, Bali, and Sulawesi, national EV adoption rates could face localized bottlenecks.

Industry analysts point out that shipping operators are operating under strict liability and insurance frameworks. A single lithium-ion battery fire onboard a vessel in open waters represents a catastrophic risk to human life and cargo value. Therefore, operators’ insistence on strict adherence to the safety circular letter is viewed as a necessary, albeit restrictive, risk mitigation strategy rather than an anti-EV stance.

Moving forward, the successful integration of electric vehicles into Indonesia’s maritime network will depend on three critical pillars: targeted financial incentives or subsidies for ferry operators to upgrade fire-fighting and ventilation infrastructure; clear, standardized certification processes for vehicles seeking maritime transport; and robust public education campaigns by both automotive manufacturers and government agencies regarding battery management during transit.

As the Ministry of Transportation refines its regulatory approach from advisory circulars to binding ministerial decrees, stakeholders across the automotive and shipping industries will need to collaborate closely. Ensuring safety at sea without compromising the mobility of a modernizing nation remains the central balancing act for Indonesian transportation authorities in the years ahead.