JAKARTA – According to Bambang Brodjonegoro, former minister of science and technology and chairman of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Indonesia must continue to develop marine technologies in order to fulfill the national vision of a global maritime axis by 2045.
Indonesia, as the world’s largest island nation with the second-longest coastline, must use its maritime potential as the ultimate source of livelihood to propel its development, he said.
“The concept of smart maritime development must be directed to bolster our efforts to achieve a sovereign, just, advanced, and prosperous Indonesia in 2045, the centennial of our independence,” Brodjonegoro said on Wednesday during an online webinar on smart maritime and smart agriculture in Jakarta.
In 2015, the maritime industry contributed only 6.4 percent to the national economy, and Indonesia has to increase that to 12.5 percent by 2045 to realize the global maritime axis vision, he said.
“Maritime connectivity, industrialization of the fishing industry, and marine tourism must all be prioritized,” the former minister stated.
He emphasized that strengthening national human resources for the maritime industry is just as important as boosting the maritime sector as the nation’s economic powerhouse.
Brodjonegoro stated, “We must build advanced maritime human resources through breakthroughs in marine technology.”
He emphasized the need of innovation-based development in helping the country’s economy grow and escape the middle-income trap.
“Because Indonesia’s territory is primarily made up of water, innovation in the marine sector is critical,” the former minister said. “Indonesia must also be able to support itself by maximizing its own marine industry capability and defending its maritime area.”
Indonesia must also improve its information technology capabilities to support the growth of the marine industry, he said.
“If we can’t produce the technology yet, we must at least optimize the use of technology in the maritime sector to achieve efficiency,” Brodjonegoro continued.