Indonesia launched a locally-built Landing Craft Utility (LCU) ship on Tuesday at PT Multi Ocean Shipyard in Tanjung Balai Karimun, marking a key step in boosting military logistics and maritime capabilities.
The 2,500 deadweight ton (DWT) vessel, named ADRI, is currently 95 percent complete and was officially introduced to water in a naval tradition that marks its readiness for final outfitting and trials.
According to Navy Colonel (T) Hery Soekris Hendrayanto, Head of the LCU Ship Launch Team, the new vessel will enhance the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) logistics posture, particularly for the Army (TNI AD), by increasing the capacity to move personnel and equipment across Indonesia’s expansive maritime domain.
Indonesia, as the world’s largest archipelago nation, faces logistical and security challenges across its vast waters. The Ministry of Defense emphasized the importance of having an adaptive, reliable, and self-produced naval transport fleet to meet both defense and non-combat needs.
The LCU ship measures 100 meters in length, 18 meters in width, and 8.85 meters in height, with a draft of 3.8 meters. It can travel at a maximum speed of 14 knots and has a cruising range of up to 4,550 nautical miles. The ship can carry 63 crew and up to 450 personnel—roughly equivalent to a battalion—and is designed to support both military missions and humanitarian operations, such as disaster relief and regional peacekeeping.