Press Release
PT PELNI (Persero)
No: 04.29/46/PR-KC/IV/2026
Incident Involving KM Sabuk Nusantara 106 in Banda Neira, PELNI Extends Apology and Commits to Cover Damages
Banda Neira, April 29, 2026 – PT Pelayaran Nasional Indonesia or PT PELNI (Persero) extends its apology to the people of Banda Neira regarding an incident involving KM Sabuk Nusantara 106 during the docking process at Banda Neira Port, Central Maluku Regency, on Tuesday (April 28).
The incident occurred when KM Sabuk Nusantara 106 suddenly experienced engine trouble, causing the vessel to lose optimal maneuverability while approaching the dock, resulting in a collision with one lodging building unit and two boats belonging to local residents. There were no fatalities or injuries reported, either among the ship’s crew members or affected residents.
Head of PELNI Ambon Branch, Ridwan Mandaliko, expressed regret and conveyed an apology on behalf of PELNI management for the incident.
“On behalf of PELNI management, we sincerely apologize to the owner of the lodging facility and the boat owners affected by this incident. We deeply regret what happened. As Banda Neira falls under the operational area of PELNI Ambon Branch, our team has been directly deployed to the site since the beginning of the incident to handle the impact and coordinate closely with all related parties,” said Ridwan.
Ridwan added that PELNI is committed to taking full responsibility for all material losses suffered by both the lodging owner and boat owners.
“We have directly communicated with the affected residents and ensured that the compensation process will be carried out swiftly and transparently. We are also committed to conducting a thorough investigation to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future,” Ridwan added.
KM Sabuk Nusantara 106 resumed its voyage from Banda Port on Tuesday (April 28) at 8:00 PM WIT after obtaining approval from the local Harbormaster and Port Authority Office (KSOP). The vessel was declared seaworthy following an inspection and repair process conducted over five hours in Banda Neira.
“We are currently still conducting further inspections to determine the cause of the engine failure. Once again, we apologize for the inconvenience experienced by the public,” Ridwan concluded.
For information, company data shows that throughout 2025, the number of embarking passengers in Banda Neira reached 10,537, while disembarking passengers totaled 8,864. Meanwhile, from January to April 2026, there were 3,203 embarking passengers and 2,497 disembarking passengers recorded through Banda Port.
PELNI vessels play a vital role in Indonesia’s 3TP regions (frontier, outermost, underdeveloped, and border areas), particularly in the Maluku region. The presence of both passenger and pioneer vessels operated by PELNI serves as one of the main backbones for connectivity and logistics fulfillment for local communities.
PELNI remains committed to continuously improving safety standards and operational reliability across its fleet, while ensuring the provision of safe and dependable services for the public. PELNI also expresses gratitude for the understanding and support provided by the community throughout the handling of this incident.
About PELNI
As a State-Owned Enterprise engaged in shipping services, PELNI currently operates 25 passenger vessels serving 483 routes and calling at 75 ports.
In addition to passenger transportation, PELNI also operates 30 pioneer shipping routes that provide accessibility for population mobility in 3TP areas, with pioneer vessels calling at 229 ports, covering a total of 516 route segments and 2,515 routes. PELNI also operates 17 rede vessels. For logistics business services, PELNI currently operates 8 Sea Toll routes and one dedicated livestock vessel route.
For more information, please contact:
Firdha Islamy
Manager, Corporate Communications
PT PELNI (Persero)
Tel. +62 21 6334342 ext. 1310
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