PT PELNI (Persero) clarifies the public perception that views the state-owned shipping company as reliant on government subsidies. As a State-Owned Enterprise (BUMN), PELNI carries out a dual role that runs hand in hand: executing public service obligations (PSO) from the government and independently developing a purely commercial business line.
In running the Sea Toll Road Program, PELNI acts as an operator executing the state mandate to maintain national logistics connectivity. The funds received from the government are not subsidies for corporate sustainability, but rather compensation for the operational costs of public services in disadvantaged, outermost, frontier, and border (3TP) regions. This scheme is strictly regulated under Law Number 19 of 2003 concerning State-Owned Enterprises and its derivative regulations.
As a consequence of the state assignment, PELNI has no authority to determine routes, sailing schedules, or tariffs. All of these operational aspects are decided by the Ministry of Transportation through the Directorate General of Sea Transportation. Currently, PELNI operates five units of KM Logistik Nusantara and three units of KM Kendhaga Nusantara specifically to support the smooth flow of goods in areas not yet reached by the commercial market.
The Sea Toll Road Program itself is not designed to be a permanent subsidy program. The government uses it as an instrument for market creation to stimulate local economic growth in remote areas. When logistics volume increases and the route is deemed commercially viable, the government will gradually reduce the subsidy portion and open opportunities for private operator involvement.
Beyond public service assignments, PELNI continues to accelerate its business transformation in the non-subsidized commercial sector. This business line operates based on pure market mechanisms with a business-to-business (B2B) scheme. This commercial portfolio includes backload optimization (back-to-back cargo), vessel charter services, and the transport of industrial commodities such as coal.
Through a clear separation between state assignment functions and commercial business, PELNI strives to maintain a balance between socio-economic responsibilities and financial sustainability. The synergy of these two functions is expected to strengthen the national logistics system while building a competitive and professional national shipping company.
