Vessel Registration & Nationality Documents
Pas Besar (Large Pass) Processing Services
Nautinix helps shipowners obtain the Pas Besar, the nationality certificate for ships from GT 7 to under GT 175: checking the tonnage certificate and grosse deed, filing with the Harbour Master, and handling annual endorsements and new passes after a change of owner.
Understanding Pas Besar (Large Pass)
The Pas Besar (Large Pass) is the Indonesian nationality certificate for registered ships of GT 7 up to less than GT 175 that sail at sea (Article 163 of Law No. 17 of 2008 on Shipping). It proves the ship’s nationality and entitles it, fishing vessels included, to fly the Indonesian flag. It is issued by the Harbour Master (Syahbandar) at the port where the ship is located, stays valid while the registration deed is unchanged and ownership is not transferred, and must be endorsed every year on the day and month of issue.
Last reviewed: Prepared by Nautinix
Who Needs Pas Besar (Large Pass)?
- Owners of ships from GT 7 to under GT 175 with a tonnage certificate (Surat Ukur) and a registration grosse deed, such as fishing, passenger or tourist boats.
- Buyers of second-hand ships who have completed the ownership transfer (balik nama) and need a new Pas Besar in the new owner’s name.
- Owners whose registration deed has changed, for example the ship’s name or measurements after re-measurement.
- Owners whose Pas Besar has been lost or damaged and must be replaced.
- Owners who need the annual endorsement to keep the ship’s papers in order.
Pas Besar (Large Pass) Requirements
- Copy of the registration grosse deed or the ownership-transfer grosse deed
- Copy of a valid tonnage certificate (Surat Ukur)
- Owner’s statement on the ship’s particulars and intended use
- Power of attorney if the application is filed by a representative
- For a new Pas Besar after a change to the deed or an ownership transfer: the old Pas Besar
- For a replacement: a police loss report if the pass was lost, or the damaged pass itself
- For the annual endorsement: the grosse deed, the tonnage certificate, a valid safety certificate (fishing vessels also need the seaworthiness and manning certificate) and, for companies, the latest articles of association
Pas Besar (Large Pass): Step by Step
- Consultation and a gross tonnage check on the Surat Ukur to confirm the ship needs a Pas Besar rather than a Pas Kecil or Surat Laut.
- Grosse deed audit: confirming the ship is registered and that its name, measurements and owner match the tonnage certificate. Unregistered ships are registered first.
- Preparing the owner’s statement on the ship’s particulars and use, together with supporting documents.
- Filing with the Harbour Master at the ship’s port through the Electronic Ship Registration System (SPKE) of the Directorate General of Sea Transportation.
- Completeness review by the Harbour Master; if anything is missing, the file is completed and resubmitted.
- Issuance once the file is complete and the PNBP (non-tax state revenue) is settled; the pass is entered in the register and reported to the Director General of Sea Transportation.
- Handover of the original document and recording of the annual endorsement date so it is not missed.
Processing Time for Pas Besar (Large Pass)
Estimate: if the grosse deed and tonnage certificate are in place and consistent, issuance is relatively quick: PM 39 of 2017 gives the Harbour Master no more than 2 working days to review the file and, for a new Pas Besar after a deed change or ownership transfer, no more than 3 working days to issue it once requirements are met. Overall time depends mostly on document readiness. If the ship must first be measured and registered, the whole sequence usually takes a matter of weeks, and longer for remote locations or incomplete ownership papers.
Pas Besar (Large Pass) Costs: PNBP and Service Fees
The cost has two separate parts. The PNBP (non-tax state revenue) for issuing or endorsing the nationality certificate is paid to the state treasury at the official Ministry of Transportation rates. The second part is the Nautinix service fee for the document audit, filing, coordination with the Harbour Master’s office and support until issuance. The fee depends on whether the tonnage certificate and grosse deed are already in place, the ship’s port, the type of application (new, replacement or endorsement) and your timeline. We quote both components after reviewing the ship’s documents.
Common Reasons Applications Are Rejected or Delayed
- The Surat Ukur shows GT 175 or more, so the ship actually needs a Surat Laut, not a Pas Besar.
- The ship has no registration or ownership-transfer grosse deed in the current owner’s name.
- The grosse deed, tonnage certificate and owner’s statement do not match on the ship’s name, measurements or owner.
- The ship was sold but the transfer was never recorded, although the new owner must file it within 3 months.
- The ship has been modified or renamed but no new tonnage certificate has been issued.
- For endorsements: the ship safety certificate has expired, or the latest articles of association are missing.
Pas Besar (Large Pass): Frequently Asked Questions
Which ships need a Pas Besar?
A Pas Besar is issued to ships registered in Indonesia that sail at sea and measure from GT 7 to under GT 175. Ships below GT 7 receive a Pas Kecil, ships of GT 175 or more a Surat Laut (sea letter), and ships operating only on rivers and lakes a river and lake pass (Article 163 of Law No. 17 of 2008).
Does a Pas Besar have to be renewed every year?
A Pas Besar is not renewed like a time-limited permit. It stays valid as long as the registration deed is unchanged and ownership is not transferred. However, the Harbour Master must endorse it every year on the day and month of issue. The endorsement requires the grosse deed, the tonnage certificate and a valid ship safety certificate.
My ship has no grosse deed yet. Can I apply for a Pas Besar directly?
A Pas Besar requires a registration or ownership-transfer grosse deed, so the ship must be measured and registered first. For ships that do not yet hold a grosse deed, the regulation provides a provisional Pas Besar that is valid for 3 months and cannot be extended. We therefore usually handle measurement, registration and the Pas Besar as one sequence.
What happens when a ship with a Pas Besar is sold?
The new owner must file the ownership transfer with the Registrar of Ships (Pejabat Pendaftar dan Pencatat Balik Nama Kapal) where the ship is registered, within 3 months of the transfer. Once the ownership-transfer grosse deed is issued, a new Pas Besar is requested from the Harbour Master, enclosing the old one. The register number stays the same, while the owner details are updated.
How do I replace a lost or damaged Pas Besar?
A lost or damaged Pas Besar can be replaced with a new one issued by the Harbour Master at the port where the ship is located. For a lost pass, the application must include a police loss report; for a damaged pass, the damaged document is surrendered.
Do fishing vessels also use a Pas Besar?
Yes. The elucidation of the Shipping Law confirms that nationality certificates, including the Pas Besar, are also issued to fishing vessels. Fishing vessels from GT 7 to under GT 175 need a Pas Besar as one of the core documents before applying for fisheries licences such as the SIPI.
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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