Cruising Indonesia gets easier with new customs regulations

by Sue Richards on 17 Mar 2016 Cruising Indonesia just got a whole lot easier with the introduction of new regulations and a new system for visiting yachts which came into effect on February 27th 2016. Gone is the lengthy application months in advance, the CAIT and the necessity to use an agent (with associated fees).

Incredibly, arranging to visit Indonesia with your yacht is now as simple as:

Choose from the list of 18 approved ports of entry as to where you want to enter Indonesia.
Register on-line here and complete two forms: a Vessel Declaration Form for Customs and a Cruising Declaration Form for the Harbourmaster.
Await approval (within a few hours), ensure you have a functioning AIS (now mandatory) and you are on your way to Indonesia.

Martins Rijkuris (Capt Marty) has just completed the organisation of the Neptune Regatta to Nongsa Point Marina in Batam Province, Indonesia. He told noonsite, “the Regatta was the first mass exercise for the new Indonesian cruising system. It has taken a while to implement and went relatively smoothly for 20 participating yachts. After 40 years sailing through Indonesia, I still don't believe it has finally happened. We wish them well implementing it in other provinces and congratulations on making the single most, game changing move, for the SE Asian Marine Industry, in many years...”

Normally new regulations for visiting yachts tend to take quite a long time to trickle down to the multitude of port authorities throughout Indonesia, however this time it seems that communication is much improved.

SY Migration told noonsite last week, “We just visited Immigration, Customs, and Port Captain here in Belitung. We asked each of them if they had got the message that a CAIT is no longer required for visiting yachts. They all gave an enthusiastic yes. In fact, the port captain made a copy of the memo stating the fact”.

Sabang Customs from Sumatra Province have also contacted noonsite with confirmation of the new system.

For the full details of the NEW Indonesia Formalities for visiting yachts, visit here.