Pelni
Pelni is the national cargo and passenger shipping company of Indonesia. Its services network spans across Indonesian archipelago. Mainly serving as connector between bigger cities to remote islands, Pelni plays important role in Indonesian transport system.
Pelni is one of the few remaining economy-class long-distance passenger ship operators. Most of the world's well-known passenger ship companies have stopped their low-budget passenger services since 1960s due to shifting trends towards airplane transport. Pelni's ability to survive is mostly due to monopolies on certain routes and subsidized routes funded by Government of Indonesia.
History
Under the Dutch colonial rule, Indonesian inter-islands transportation was dominated by Koninklijke Paketvaart-Maatschappij, founded in 1888. KPM headquarter was in Amsterdam, but daily operations were controlled from Batavia, Dutch East Indies.As a newly independent republic, in late 1940s Indonesian government decided to nationalize Dutch-owned companies. The Dutch refused to give away KPM, due to its strong position as connector of Indonesian archipelago. KPM also played important role in transporting Dutch logistics and military supplies during Indonesian National Revolution.
In response to Dutch refusal, in September 5, 1950, Indonesia founded PEPUSKA that operates 8 ships with total size of 4.800 Deadweight tonnage. However, due to lack of experience and capital, PEPUSKA failed to takeover KPM's monopoly.
In April 28, 1952, PEPUSKA was dissolved. Pelni was founded at the same day, with the same fleet. To bring more power, Indonesian Eximbank provided funding to buy 45 new coaster ships from Western Europe countries, and while waiting these new ships being produced, rented various ships from many countries. Pelni also used ships looted from Japan in World War 2. These strategies proved successful, as KPM suffered from declining market share and strike workers led by Sukarno's leftist doctrine. KPM discontinued its Indonesian operation in December 3, 1957.
Pelni achieved its golden era during early 1980s to late 1990s. Under Suharto presidency with his Transmigration program, Pelni was the main transport to move people from Java and Sumatra to eastern region of Indonesia, because air transport facilities were still underdeveloped.
Pelni started to suffer after 2000s, because airplane services were cheaper year by year. Some of its old ships even failed to sell to third parties, and maintaining these old ships also was not a cheap option. KM Kambuna and KM Rinjani was granted to Indonesian Navy in 2004. KM Kerinci was sold in 2014. KFC Jet Liner was rented to Sri Lanka Navy between 2009 and 2012. As of 2017, no party is interested to buy KM Ganda Dewata even as a scrap.
Pelni started to reform its services and management since 2012 to this day, by focusing more on tourism and cargo market, alongside improving its current low-budget passenger services. Pelni began to book positive earnings since 2014.
Ships and services
Passenger ships
Pelni's passenger ships are also a major branding feature of Pelni: large yellow funnel with red-and-white strips and Pelni logo. Pelni painted its ships with white color on the upper side of ships and crimson on the lower side. It's reddish lifeboats are also easily recognised from distances.Most of these passenger ships were built by Meyer Werft, a major German shipyard well-known as luxury passenger ships builder. Due to Meyer's luxury culture, some party considered Pelni's ships 'too good' by Indonesian standard, even after designed & built as economy-class passenger ships by default. As of August 12, 2017, no Meyer-built Pelni ship ever involved in sinking accident. However, these high-standard ships were not enjoyed by passengers, especially prior to 2014, because harsh treatment by passengers and the crew itself. Most of the problems comes from illegal passengers, which at least until April 24, 2019 are still frequently found.
Since 2014 onwards, some improvement have been made, especially in ticket reservation system, toilet repair, and 2-pin electric plug. Passengers can enjoy GSM & GPRS network in Pelni ships provided by telkomsel. However, passenger management is still troublesome, mainly because most of Indonesian seaport's passenger terminal is not sterile from illegal visitors.
Below is a list of Pelni's Passenger Ships. All of these ships were named after mountains in Indonesia. KM Tatamailau, however, is named after Mt. Tatamailau in East Timor. 'KM' is abbreviation of 'Kapal Mesin', meaning Motor Vessel and 'KFC' is abbreviation of 'Kapal Ferry Cepat', meaning Express Ferry Ship.
| Ship name | Build date | Passenger capacity | Route |
| KM Awu | 1991 | 969 |
|
| KM Bukit Raya | 1994 | 970 | Jakarta > Belinyu > Kijang > Letung > Tarempa > Natuna > Midan > Serasan > Pontianak |
| KM Bukit Siguntang | 1995 | 2003 | |
| KM Ciremai | 1991 | 1973 | Jakarta > Surabaya > Makassar > Bau-Bau > Sorong > Manokwari > Biak > Jayapura |
| KM Dobonsolo | 1993 | 1974 | Jakarta > Surabaya > Makassar > Bau-Bau > Ambon > Sorong > Serui > Jayapura |
| KM Dorolonda | 2001 | Bitung > Ternate > Ambon > Namlea > Bau-Bau > Makassar > Surabaya > Jakarta > Kijang | |
| KM Egon | 1991 | 520 | |
| KM Gunung Dempo | 2006 | 1583 | Jakarta > Surabaya > Makassar > Sorong > Manokwari > Nabire > Jayapura |
| KM Kelimutu | 1985 | 920 | |
| KM Kelud | 1998 | 1906 | Jakarta > Batam > Karimun > Belawan |
| KM Lawit | 1986 | 920 | |
| KM Leuser | 1994 | 970 | Surabaya > Benoa > Sape > Labuan Bajo > Makassar > Bau-Bau > Wanci > Namrole > Ambon > Banda Naira > Saumlaki > Larat Island > Tual > Dobo > Timika > Agats > Merauke |
| KM Lambelu | 1996 | 2003 | |
| KM Labobar | 2004 | 3084 | Surabaya > Balikpapan > Pantoloan > Amurang > Bitung > Ternate > Sorong > Manokwari > Nabire > Serui > Jayapura |
| KM Nggapulu | 2001 | 2130 | Jakarta - Surabaya - Makassar - Baubau - Ambon - Banda Neira - Tual - Dobo - Kaimana - Fakfak |
| KM Pangrango | 1996 | 496 | |
| KM Sirimau | ? | 969 | |
| KM Sinabung | 1997 | 1906 | Surabaya > Makassar > Bau-Bau > Banggai Island > Bitung > Ternate > Babang > Sorong > Manokwari > Biak > Jayapura |
| KM Sangiang | 1997 | 510 | |
| KM Tilongkabila | 1994 | 970 | Bitung > Gorontalo > Luwuk > Kolonodale > Kendari > Raha > Bau-Bau > Makassar > Labuan Bajo > Bima > Lembar > Benoa |
| KM Tatamailau | 1990 | 969 | Bitung > Tidore > Babang > Sorong > Fak-Fak > Kaimana > Tual > Timika > Agats > Merauke |
| KM Tidar | 1987 | 1904 | Makassar > Bau-Bau > Namrole > Ambon > Tual > Dobo > Kaimana > Fak-Fak > Sorong > Manokwari > Nabire |
| KM Umsini | 1985 | 1737 | |
| KM Wilis | 1999 | 500 | Batulicin > Makassar > Bima > Labuan Bajo > Kalabahi > Kupang |
| KFC Jetliner | 1996 | 550 | Kendari > Raha > Baubau > Wanci |
Facilities
Facilities (KM ''Kelud'' only)
- Restaurant
- Wi-Fi
- Mini cinema
- Alfamart and Pelnimart store
- Gym
- Live music
However, not all of those facilities are always available. Some passengers wrote that access to some of those, such as mini-cinema and gym were locked by the crew. Also, not all of these facilities are in good conditions, especially the toilets. The ships are also often overcrowded by illegal passengers, especially after embarking from small ports with less security enforcement.
Tourism services{{Cite web|url=http://pesona.indonesia.travel/berita/pelni-tawarkan-paket-destinasi-menarik-di-2017/|title=Pelni Tawarkan Paket Destinasi Menarik di 2017 Pesona Indonesia|website=pesona.indonesia.travel|language=en-US|access-date=2017-08-14}}
In addition to regular passenger routes, Pelni provides tourism packages to various islands. Pelni introduces live-on-board concept, where Pelni ships will pick up passenger in hub ports, sail to destined tourist attraction, stay there as 'floating hotel' while passengers enjoying the tourism packages in nearby islands, and then return to hub port. For 2017, the tourism packages are:- Karimunjava Islands
- Raja Ampat Islands
- Derawan Islands
- Wakatobi National Park
- Komodo National Park
- Banda Neira
Cargo ships
- KM Caraka Jaya Niaga III-4
- KM Caraka Jaya Niaga III-2
- KM Caraka Jaya Niaga III-32
Other ships
-Thousand Islands
''Tol Laut'' ships
Tol Laut is a maritime program by President Joko Widodo to improve Indonesian logistic system through providing routine and subsidized ship sailing across Indonesia. As of December 31, 2016, Pelni operated six ships for this purpose.Cattle ship
Pelni operated one cattle ship, KM Camara Nusantara I, to transport cattle produced by farmers in Lesser Sunda Islands to Java.Pioneer ships
Pioneer ships are smaller ships provided and subsidized by government to service remote islands that are commercially not profitable and too shallow for larger ship to berth. As of December 31, 2016, Pelni operated 46 pioneer ships.International Routes
Pelni is fully serving Indonesian archipelago and currently doesn't provide regular passenger route to nearby countries, although many of its destinations are located in Indonesian outermost islands such as Batam, Natuna Islands, Nunukan Island, Miangas Island, Jayapura, Merauke and Kisar Island.During Indonesian occupation of East Timor, Pelni served regular services to Dili, which stopped after 1999. in 2000, Pelni also served Bitung-Davao route for a short period. Pelni is planned to serve ASEAN market by 2020.
Incidents and accidents
- On January 27, 1981, Pelni's ship the Tampomas II was burned and sank near Masalembu Islands in the Java Sea while sailing from Port of Tanjung Priok, Jakarta to Makassar. This ship was produced in 1956 by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and initially planned to be scrapped, but cancelled and finally sold to Indonesia with alleged marked-up price. Official said that 431 people were killed. Iwan Fals and Ebiet G. Ade created song about the sinking separately.
- On April 6, 2011, KM Fudi rolled over while being repaired in PT. PAL shipyard in Surabaya. Due to lack of cost for re-establishing her, Pelni & PAL decided to abandon the ship and allowed Yala Gada, a cooperative from Indonesian Navy to scrap her on March 15, 2016.
Gallery