Commercial Vessel Permits
Tourist Vessel and Pinisi Document Services
Nautinix helps owners and operators of tourist vessels, including pinisi liveaboards and day-trip boats, prepare what they need to carry tourists commercially: nationality documents, passenger safety certificates, crew documents, business licensing and readiness for every departure.
Understanding Tourist Vessel Documents
Tourist vessel documents are the papers, certificates and licences a vessel needs to carry tourists commercially, such as a pinisi liveaboard, a small cruise vessel or a day-trip boat. They include the Ministry of Transportation nationality documents, namely the Surat Ukur and Grosse Akta for ships of GT 7 and above plus a Pas Kecil, Pas Besar or Surat Laut by size, a safety certificate matching its role as a passenger carrier, crew documents and business licensing. A tourist vessel operated as domestic sea transport is also subject to the cabotage principle in Law No. 17 of 2008 on Shipping.
Last reviewed: Prepared by Nautinix
Who Needs Tourist Vessel Documents?
- Pinisi liveaboard operators running dive trips or multi-day cruises, for example around Labuan Bajo and Raja Ampat.
- Owners of day-trip boats or fast boats taking tourists between islands.
- Owners converting a wooden cargo or fishing vessel into a tourist vessel, whose documents and certificates must be updated.
- Buyers of second-hand pinisi who need to verify the vessel’s legal status and complete the ownership transfer.
- Owners of newly built pinisi who need measurement and registration once construction is complete.
- Tourism companies or resorts operating their own vessels for guests.
Tourist Vessel Documents Requirements
- Proof of ownership: build contract and delivery protocol for a new vessel, or a deed of sale for a second-hand one
- Surat Ukur and registration deed for GT 7 and above, plus a Pas Kecil, Pas Besar or Surat Laut by size
- A safety certificate matching the vessel type, navigation area and role as a passenger carrier
- Vessel drawings and technical data, including stability data and the permitted number of passengers
- Crew documents: certificates of competency for the master and officers matching vessel size and engine power, seafarer books, proficiency certificates and the crew list (Sijil)
- Company documents: deed and approval decree, NIB with a business classification (KBLI) matching the activity, and the required business licences
- Insurance covering the carrier’s liability to passengers and third parties (Law No. 17 of 2008, Article 41(3)), plus basic passenger protection insurance as required by law
Tourist Vessel Documents: Step by Step
- Consultation to map the operation: gross tonnage, passenger numbers, navigation area, day trips or overnight cruises, and business model.
- Audit of existing documents for inconsistencies, such as GT, vessel name, or a function still recorded as cargo or fishing vessel.
- Re-measurement and updated nationality documents if the vessel’s size changed, plus an ownership transfer for second-hand vessels.
- Preparing for the safety inspection: life-saving appliances for everyone on board, firefighting, navigation, radio and stability.
- Coordinating the inspection by the ship safety inspector and issuance of the safety certificate.
- Obtaining or updating business licensing through the OSS system and preparing crew documents.
- Operational readiness: passenger lists, certificate validity tracking and port clearance (SPB) for every departure.
Processing Time for Tourist Vessel Documents
Estimate: for a vessel with complete nationality documents that only needs a safety certificate renewal or a licensing update, the process usually takes a few weeks. New or converted vessels take longer because measurement, registration and safety inspection happen in sequence, and the schedule depends on the vessel’s location and equipment readiness. We recommend starting well before the peak tourist season.
Tourist Vessel Documents Costs: PNBP and Service Fees
The cost has two parts. First, the non-tax state revenue (PNBP) for measurement, registration, nationality documents and certificates, paid to the state treasury at official government rates. Second, the Nautinix service fee for the document audit, file preparation, inspection coordination and support until the vessel is ready to operate. The fee depends on vessel size, the number of documents, vessel status (new, second-hand or converted), location and your deadline. Buying safety equipment or repairing the vessel is not part of the service fee. We quote after reviewing the vessel data.
Common Reasons Applications Are Rejected or Delayed
- The vessel is still recorded as a cargo or fishing vessel, so its certificates do not cover carrying passengers.
- Life-saving appliances, such as lifejackets and liferafts, do not match the number of people on board.
- The planned number of passengers exceeds the capacity stated on the certificate.
- The vessel’s size changed after a refit without re-measurement, so the Surat Ukur no longer matches.
- The master or officers lack certificates of competency matching the vessel size and engine power.
- The safety certificate or the yearly Pas Kecil, Pas Besar or Surat Laut endorsement had lapsed when the SPB was requested.
Tourist Vessel Documents: Frequently Asked Questions
Which documents does a tourist pinisi need?
Broadly four groups: nationality documents (Surat Ukur, Grosse Akta for GT 7 and above, and a Pas Kecil, Pas Besar or Surat Laut), a safety certificate for carrying passengers, crew documents, and business licensing. Every departure also needs port clearance (SPB) from the harbour master. The exact list depends on the vessel’s size, navigation area and business model.
Must a tourist vessel fly the Indonesian flag?
A vessel carrying tourists commercially as domestic sea transport is subject to the cabotage principle in Law No. 17 of 2008: it must fly the Indonesian flag and be crewed by Indonesian nationals. Visits by foreign yachts are governed by separate rules that differ from commercial domestic tourist operations. We help map your vessel’s status before it operates.
My vessel is being converted into a tourist vessel. What must change?
A conversion usually affects several documents. If the refit changes the vessel’s size or tonnage, it must be re-measured for a new Surat Ukur, and the registration data and nationality documents updated. The safety certificate must also reflect the new passenger-carrying role, including life-saving appliances and stability. We audit the old documents first to plan the sequence.
Do tourist boats under GT 7 need documents?
Yes. Vessels under GT 7 must still be measured before operating, but they are not registered with a Grosse Akta and receive a Pas Kecil as their nationality document, which the harbour master also endorses every year. If used to carry tourists, they must also meet the applicable safety requirements, including life-saving appliances for every passenger, and still need an SPB before sailing.
What is checked before an SPB is issued to a tourist vessel?
The harbour master checks the validity of the vessel’s papers before issuing an SPB under PM 28 of 2022. For tourist vessels, points to confirm include the safety certificate, the yearly Pas Kecil, Pas Besar or Surat Laut endorsement, adequate crewing, and passenger numbers within capacity. Complete documents keep departures on schedule.
Can Nautinix handle tourist vessels in Labuan Bajo or Raja Ampat?
Yes. Our office is in Central Jakarta, but we support owners at ports across Indonesia. Physical inspections take place where the vessel is, carried out by the competent officials, while we handle file preparation, submissions and coordination. We also track certificate validity so the vessel is ready before the peak season.
The information on this page is general and educational. Requirements, procedures and processing times can differ by vessel type, GT, operating area, issuing office and current regulations. Nautinix is an independent ship document service company and does not replace the authority of the relevant government agencies.
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