28-6-2023 (JAKARTA) Indonesia’s marine economy has significant potential for growth, and the country could become a high-income nation in the next few years, according to Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, Luhut B. Pandjaitan. He predicts that the marine sector’s contribution to the national economy will double by 2045 and continue to grow. Pandjaitan believes that if the current trend continues, Indonesia will become a high-income country within a decade and a developed country within three decades.
Seaweed cultivation is one of the marine results that can be developed. Pandjaitan highlights its importance as a biofuel, fertilizer, and food source, as well as its potential to clean the sea and capture carbon emissions. Indonesia has over 200 seaweed species, but only three are currently being developed. Pandjaitan suggests that entrepreneurs in the marine and maritime sector could play a crucial role in driving economic growth in the blue sector, creating new jobs, and contributing to the income and prosperity of shoreline residents.
However, to achieve these goals, a conducive system for innovation and investment in the blue sector is necessary. At the Archipelagic and Island States (AIS) Forum, Pandjaitan also discussed plastic waste in the sea. Indonesia plans to process almost 30,000 tons of waste per day within the next three years, an extraordinary step towards removing plastic waste from the ocean. The country has already reduced the volume of plastic waste entering the sea by 27 percent and is restoring 600,000 hectares of mangroves, with 400,000 hectares already replanted.
These efforts set an example for fellow island states, particularly those in the Pacific that may be affected by the earth’s temperature rise and sea level increase. Pandjaitan’s vision for Indonesia’s marine economy and the country’s efforts towards sustainability demonstrate the potential for growth and positive change.
