The standards appear in Minister of Transportation Regulation No. PM 1 of 2026, a broad regulation on risk-based licensing standards in the transport sector. The regulation was stipulated on 22 January 2026 and promulgated on 2 February 2026.
For maritime businesses, the important section is the standard for “Aktivitas Pengelolaan Kapal” under KBLI 52225. PM 1/2026 defines ship management as technical vessel-management services covering maintenance, docking preparation, spare parts, provisions, crewing, insurance, seaworthiness and certification.
The licence standard reaches core technical-management functions
The definition confirms that ship management is treated as a regulated business activity in its own right. A third-party manager operating in Indonesia therefore needs to consider not only its management agreement with the owner but also whether the management company itself satisfies the business standard.
PM 1/2026 requires evidence of ownership of the place of business or a lease with a minimum two-year term, together with office equipment, internet infrastructure and safety equipment.
Qualified Indonesian personnel are mandatory
The company must have an Indonesian national with at least an Ahli Nautika Tingkat III (ANT-III), Ahli Teknika Tingkat III (ATT-III), Diploma III in Ketatalaksanaan Angkutan Laut dan Kepelabuhanan, transportasi laut or ship engineering qualification, together with ship-management competency evidenced by certification.
At least one operational employee must also have a minimum of one year’s experience in shipping and competency or skills in ship management supported by a certificate. For existing managers, that makes personnel files and competency evidence part of the licensing record rather than only an HR matter.
A quality-management system is part of the business standard
The regulation requires a quality-management system issued by a national or international certification body, or a business-management system approved by the Director General of Sea Transportation.
This moves the regulatory analysis beyond corporate licensing and staffing. A manager needs a documented system showing how its ship-management business is controlled. Groups using international management procedures should check that the system used by the Indonesian entity can be evidenced against the PM 1/2026 requirement.
Verification and reporting continue after licensing
Ship management is classified as a medium-high risk activity, meaning fulfilment of the business standard is subject to verification. The regulation also imposes continuing reporting obligations after the licence is active.
A manager must submit a plan for ship-management activities to the local port authority and the Director General, and report vessel-management activities every six months to the local port authority, local harbourmaster and Director General. Licensing data must be updated every two years, while the quality-management or approved business-management system must also be updated every two years.
For legal and compliance teams, those deadlines are better treated as fixed regulatory calendar items. A company may hold the correct licence but still fall out of compliance if recurring reports or updates are missed.
Management agreements should match the regulated structure
The standard also has implications for ship management agreements. Owners appointing an Indonesian manager should consider due diligence on the manager’s KBLI activity, standard certificate, personnel and management system, particularly where the manager will act as the owner’s operational interface with port, class or maritime authorities.
Managers should likewise ensure their contracts give them access to information needed for mandatory reporting. A six-month vessel-management report may depend on data held by owners, crewing providers, insurers or technical superintendents.
For groups using more than one Indonesian entity, the key question is which entity actually contracts with shipowners and performs the regulated management services. The licence, qualified personnel and management system should align with that operating entity. The standard should also be read against Indonesia’s wider 2026 maritime regulatory changes, including new competency requirements for maritime support-service personnel under PM 3/2026.
Primary sources
- Peraturan.go.id — PM 1/2026.
- PM 1/2026 — official regulation PDF, including the standard for Aktivitas Pengelolaan Kapal, KBLI 52225.
Source note: Maritime Legal Business prepared this article from the Indonesian-language text of PM 1/2026. English descriptions are MLB summaries and are not official translations. This article is for general informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice.