Arab, European Customers Interested In Buying Indonesian Warships

European and Middle East countries have expressed interest in Indonesian warships after the first successful export of Strategic Sealift Vessel (SSV) to the Philippines, an official of PT PAL Indonesia said.

PT PAL President Director Firmansyah Arifin said that the first warship export attracted the attention of representatives of a number of countries, including the Middle East countries.

"A number of representatives from European and Middle East countries are interested to place orders of the SSV type ship. We hope this would lift the image of Indonesia in the world," Arifin told ANTARA NEWS.

The BRP TARLAC (LD-601) warship of the LD-601 Strategic Sealift Vessel type was the first of its kind ordered by the Philippine defense ministry. The Philippines has ordered two strategic sealift vessels and it is one of them that was delivered last week.

After sailing to Manila for several days, the ship is scheduled to be transferred to the Philippine ministry of defense on Friday, May 13, 2016.

PT PAL Vice President M. Jusuf Kalla said that the export marked the success of PT PAL in mastering technology. 

"I highly appreciate it because with the ability to build ships the country’s sea areas can be transformed into bridges to unite the nation. But for this, sea transportation means should be good and the maritime areas become the object of development," the vice president said.

He asked PT PAL to continue developing its technology by entering the world markets.

"I hope that PT PAL would be able to win the economy in the shipping world. This should be won because we cannot only beg it," the vice president said.

The SSV is a sophisticated ship of a Lloyd Register class made by the nation and will be the first warship exported by the country. The ship is capable of carrying two helicopters and a landing craft utility as well as a number of tanks and military trucks, Arifin said.

The ship, measuring 123 meters in length, 21.8 meters in width, with a speed of 16 knots, is capable of sailing for 30 days on the high seas. It was first launched by Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Rizal Ramli and defense minister Ryamizard Ryacudu in January this year.

The second ship is expected to be delivered in September this year.

"We will roll out the second SSV ordered by the Philippines in September 2016," Arifin added.