Indonesian Maritime Regulations and IMO Standards: What Visiting Vessels Need to Know

Navigating local maritime regulation requirements alongside international safety protocols is essential for foreign shipowners calling at regional ports. Ensuring that every visiting vessel complies with environmental, security, and operational guidelines prevents unexpected detentions and costly port delays. Aligning shipboard procedures with global imo standard criteria guarantees smooth inspections and protects commercial sailing schedules.

IMO Standards Set the International Framework

IMO conventions establish international requirements for areas such as ship safety, pollution prevention, security, crew competency, and port formalities. For port calls, the FAL Convention is particularly relevant. It establishes standards and recommended practices for information and procedures covering a ship’s arrival, stay, and departure.
The FAL framework includes documents such as:

• General Declaration
• Cargo Declaration
• Ship’s Stores Declaration
• Crew List
• Dangerous Goods Manifest
• Maritime Declaration of Health
• Ship Sanitation certificates

IMO also requires Maritime Single Window systems for electronic exchange of information in ports from 1 January 2024. For a foreign vessel, these international documents form the starting point. Indonesian authorities then apply the requirements relevant to the vessel’s port call.

Indonesian Procedures Apply During the Port Call

Once the vessel enters an Indonesian port, local procedures become part of the operation.
Depending on the vessel and its activities, these can include:

• Port arrival and departure reporting
• Customs declarations
• Immigration clearance
• Health and quarantine procedures
• Foreign vessel approvals
• Port clearance
• Crew documentation
• Activity-specific permits

This means the vessel’s international certificates and FAL information are only part of the documentation package. The local process still needs to be completed correctly.

FAL Documentation and Indonesian Port Submission

The FAL Convention standardizes the information that authorities may request from ships. Its declarations cover vessel details, cargo, stores, crew, dangerous goods, health, and other port-call information. In Indonesia, that information is submitted through the applicable national port systems and procedures.
The practical flow can therefore be:
Vessel documents → Indonesian submission → Local verification → Port clearance → Departure approval
The exact submission depends on the vessel, port, and activity.

SPB Is an Indonesian Requirement

One important example is the Surat Persetujuan Berlayar (SPB),or Sailing Approval Letter. Indonesia regulates the issuance of SPB and approvals for ship activities in ports under PM 28 Tahun 2022. The regulation is specifically titled Tata Cara Penerbitan Surat Persetujuan Berlayar dan Persetujuan Kegiatan Kapal di Pelabuhan and remains in force. SPB should therefore be treated as part of the Indonesian departure process. It is not simply another IMO certificate. Before departure, the vessel needs to complete the applicable Indonesian requirements so the sailing approval can be issued.

Crew Documentation: IMO Plus Local Requirements

Crew documentation is another area where the two frameworks meet. The FAL Convention includes the Crew List as one of the standardized declarations for ships calling at ports. However, foreign crew may also need to satisfy Indonesian immigration requirements depending on their nationality, employment status, and purpose of stay. This is where local requirements such as DAHSUSKIM can become relevant.

For example, Indonesian regulations concerning foreign seafarers working on Indonesian-flagged vessels require a Certificate of Recognition and a recommendation from the Director General. The application for that recommendation includes a copy of the Immigration Directorate General’s DAHSUSKIM decision. The important point is that a crew member having valid international seafarer documentation does not automatically mean that every Indonesian immigration requirement has been completed. The applicable local process needs to be checked separately.

DAHSUSKIM Depends on the Crew’s Activity

DAHSUSKIM should not be treated as a requirement for every foreign crew member arriving in Indonesia. Its applicability depends on the person’s status and activity. This becomes particularly relevant when foreign personnel are involved in specific maritime work, long-term vessel operations, technical projects, or other activities requiring Indonesian immigration arrangements.
Before arrival, check:

• Who is entering Indonesia?
• Why are they entering?
• How long will they remain?
• Will they work onboard or only join the vessel?

These details can determine which immigration process applies.

What About DAHSUSLO?

DAHSUSLO is another local term encountered in Indonesian vessel operations, particularly in relation to customs handling for foreign vessels and onboard goods. For practical planning, the key point is to check the customs treatment of vessel stores, spare parts, equipment, and other goods entering or leaving Indonesian customs territory. The exact procedure depends on the goods and the vessel’s activity. For example, a vessel receiving spare parts during a port stay may require customs documentation before the parts can be delivered onboard. That process is separate from the vessel’s IMO certificates.

Safety Standards Remain International

Local port procedures do not replace the vessel’s international safety obligations. For example:

• SOLAS covers ship safety requirements.
• MARPOL covers prevention of pollution from ships.
• STCW establishes international standards for seafarer training, certification, and watchkeeping.

These international conventions remain part of the vessel’s compliance framework. Indonesian authorities may then verify the relevant documents and requirements during the vessel’s operation or port stay.

A Practical Comparison

Area	IMO Framework	Indonesian Requirement
Port arrival	FAL declarations	Indonesian port submission
Crew information	FAL Crew List	Immigration requirements
Ship safety	SOLAS and other conventions	Local verification and enforcement
Crew competency	STCW	Applicable Indonesian requirements
Departure	FAL departure information	SPB and port clearance
Foreign personnel	International crew documents	Applicable visa / immigration process
Stores and equipment	FAL declarations	Indonesian customs procedures

The two levels should therefore be checked together. A vessel can prepare its international documentation while the local agency checks what additional Indonesian submissions are required for the specific port call.

Where Documentation Gaps Usually Appear

The issue is not always a missing certificate. A document can be valid but still require additional local submission or verification.
For example:
Crew List ready → Local immigration information required → Additional details submitted → Clearance completed
Or:
Spare parts arranged → Customs documents reviewed → Customs process completed → Parts released → Vessel receives delivery

The vessel may already have the relevant international documents. The additional step is completing the Indonesian procedure.

Pre-Arrival Compliance Checklist

Before entering an Indonesian port, review:

• Vessel certificates
• Crew List and crew particulars
• Cargo declarations
• Dangerous Goods information
• Ship’s Stores Declaration
• Maritime Declaration of Health
• Customs documentation
• Immigration requirements
• Foreign vessel approvals
• Port clearance requirements
• SPB requirements
• Activity-specific permits

The final checklist should be adjusted to the vessel’s actual operation. A tanker, offshore vessel, research vessel, or vessel undergoing technical work may require additional documentation.

How a Local Agency Helps

The vessel’s international compliance team may already be familiar with IMO requirements. The local challenge is knowing how those documents connect with Indonesian procedures.
A local ship agency can help identify:

• Which Indonesian authorities are involved
• Which documents need to be submitted
• Which local approvals apply
• When submissions need to be completed
• What additional documents are required for the vessel’s specific activity

This becomes particularly useful when the vessel has a short port stay or several services taking place at the same time.

Balancia’s Regulatory Support for Foreign Vessels

Balancia supports foreign vessels with Indonesian port and maritime documentation requirements. Our coordination can cover port clearance, foreign vessel documentation, immigration arrangements, crew changes, customs-related coordination, SPB processes, and other local requirements depending on the /vessel’s activity. The focus is on connecting the vessel’s existing international documentation with the Indonesian procedures required for the actual port call. For foreign vessels, early preparation helps reduce documentation gaps and avoid preventable delays.

People Also Ask

References

• BPK RI. (n.d.). Retrieved from Peraturan Menteri Perhubungan Nomor 59 Tahun 2021 tentang Penyelenggaraan Usaha Jasa Terkait dengan Angkutan di Perairan: https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/284692/permenhub-no-59-tahun-2021
• BPK RI. (2022). Retrieved from Kementerian Perhubungan Republik Indonesia. (2022). Peraturan Menteri Perhubungan Nomor PM 28 Tahun 2022 tentang Tata Cara Penerbitan Surat Persetujuan Berlayar dan Persetujuan Kegiatan Kapal di Pelabuhan. : https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/231389/permenhub-no-28-tahun-2022
• IMO. (n.d.). Retrieved from Convention on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic (FAL): https://www.imo.org/en/about/conventions/pages/convention-on-facilitation-of-international-maritime-traffic-(fal).aspx