REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, MAKASSAR -- Industry Minister Saleh Husin said shipbuilding industry has good opportunity to expand with the government program to make Indonesia a world maritime axis by optimizing sea transport.

"Now is the best time for shipbuilding industrialists to invest," the minister said here on Monday.

He said the maritime axis is not only a discourse. The president has taken a concrete and bold step by banning purchases of ships from abroad.

In a bid to protect domestic shipbuilding industry, President Jokowi has banned ship imports.

Saleh Husein, who visited a number of industrial centers including PT Industri Kapal Indonesia (IKI), which is state company shipbuilding company in South Sulawesi. said shipbuilding industry has vital role in improving connectivity of the archipelago.

PT Industri Kapal Indonesia, which was established in 1977 , builds and repairs ships.

The company has two shipyards -- in Makassar and Bitung.Noerth Sulawesi. The company has built a number of big ships like KM Makassar, a full container ship measuring 4,180 DWT, navy patrol KRI Andai , Ferry Ro-Ro (600 GT), pioneer ships, etc.

The locations of the two shipyards are strategic. Makassar is a port of call between the western and eastern parts of the country and Bitung is facin the Pacific ocean, the minister said.

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