The burning of the KM antika Nusantara passenger ship on Thursday reminded us once again about the lack of attention on shipping safety.
The ship caught fire in the waters off the Masalembu Islands in Sumenap, East Java, en route from Surabaya in East Java to Balikpapan in East Kalimantan on Thursday night. As of Friday, three people were killed in the accident, a crew member and two passengers. A number of passengers are still missing.
The disaster reminded us of the KMP Tampomas II ship that also caught fire and then sank around the Masalembu Islands on Jan. 27, 1981. In this disaster as many as 288 passengers were killed. We are grateful that most of the KM Santika’s passengers survived. As many as 309 passengers and crew were rescued in the disaster, which unveiled the poor standard of our shipping safety.
The evacuation data also showed that KM Santika’s passenger manifest documents did not really reflect the actual number of passengers. The number of passengers stated in the manifest only comprised 100 adults, six children over five, six children under five and 84 vehicles. In fact, the number of the passengers evacuated was three times higher.
The authority of the Tanjung Perak port in Surabaya has yet to find the cause of the fire. The National Transportation Safety Committee (NTSC) is still investigating it.
The Transportation Ministry often reminds all stakeholders in shipping to pay serious attention to shipping safety. However, such a call is no longer enough. In order to ensure a similar disaster will not occur again in the future, serious attention should be given to the improvement of shipping safety. We hope the NTSC will soon uncover the cause of the fire. The judiciary can also take legal action against all parties who violate safety regulations.
Law No. 17/2008 concerning shipping has clearly stipulated the role of all stakeholders in maintaining safety. Criminal sanctions have been regulated in detail. Any person who operates a ship and a port without fulfilling shipping safety and security requirements is sentenced to up to two years in prison and handed a fine of up to Rp 300 million (US$21,125).
If the aforementioned acts result in death, the perpetrators can be jailed for up to 10 years and handed a fine of up to Rp 1.5 billion. Community participation is needed. The public, both individuals and groups, can participate in monitoring the implementation of shipping activities, provide input, and even file claims against shipping activities that can harm and are against the public interest.
As a maritime country with the second longest coastline in the world that aspires to become the world\'s maritime axis, it is time for Indonesia to show its sincerity to improve shipping safety and security standards.