Vessel Registration & Nationality Documents
Surat Laut (Sea Letter) Processing Services
Nautinix helps owners and operators of ships of GT 175 and above obtain the Surat Laut: auditing the tonnage certificate and grosse deed, filing with the Director General of Sea Transportation, and handling endorsements, replacements and new letters after a sale.
Understanding Surat Laut (Sea Letter)
The Surat Laut (sea letter) is the Indonesian nationality certificate for registered ships of GT 175 or more that sail at sea (Article 163 of Law No. 17 of 2008 on Shipping). It proves the ship’s nationality and entitles it to fly the Indonesian flag. Unlike the Pas Besar, which the Harbour Master issues, the Surat Laut is issued by the Director General of Sea Transportation. It stays valid while the registration deed is unchanged and ownership is not transferred, and the Harbour Master must endorse it every year on the day and month of issue.
Last reviewed: Prepared by Nautinix
Who Needs Surat Laut (Sea Letter)?
- Owners of ships of GT 175 and above that have just been registered and received a registration grosse deed, such as cargo ships, tankers, barges or passenger ships.
- Buyers of second-hand ships who have completed the ownership transfer (balik nama) and need a new Surat Laut in their name.
- Owners of formerly foreign-flagged ships newly registered in Indonesia.
- Owners who do not yet hold a grosse deed and need a provisional Surat Laut while registration is under way.
- Operators whose Surat Laut was lost or damaged, or who need the annual endorsement.
Surat Laut (Sea Letter) Requirements
- Copy of the registration grosse deed or the ownership-transfer grosse deed
- Copy of a valid tonnage certificate (the international Surat Ukur if the ship is 24 metres or longer)
- Owner’s statement on the ship’s particulars and intended use
- For a new Surat Laut after a change to the deed or an ownership transfer: the old Surat Laut
- For a replacement: a police report if it was lost, or the damaged letter itself
- For a provisional Surat Laut: the tonnage certificate or a provisional one, proof of ownership and the owner’s statement
- For the annual endorsement: the grosse deed, the tonnage certificate, a valid ship safety certificate and, for companies, the latest articles of association
Surat Laut (Sea Letter): Step by Step
- Consultation and a gross tonnage check on the Surat Ukur to confirm the ship needs a Surat Laut, i.e. GT 175 or more.
- Audit of the grosse deed and tonnage certificate so the ship’s name, measurements and owner match. Unregistered ships are registered first, or given a provisional Surat Laut.
- Preparing the owner’s statement on the ship’s particulars and use, with supporting documents.
- Filing with the Director General of Sea Transportation through the Electronic Ship Registration System (SPKE).
- Completeness review; incomplete applications are returned to be completed and can then be resubmitted.
- Issuance of the Surat Laut once the file is complete and the PNBP (non-tax state revenue) is settled, followed by entry in the Surat Laut register.
- Handover of the original and recording of the annual endorsement date.
Processing Time for Surat Laut (Sea Letter)
Estimate: when the grosse deed and tonnage certificate are complete and consistent, issuing a Surat Laut is relatively quick, as PM 39 of 2017 allows no more than 2 working days for the completeness review and 2 working days for issuance once requirements are met (3 working days for a new Surat Laut after a deed change or ownership transfer). Overall time depends mostly on the earlier stages: measurement, registration, ownership transfer or, for formerly foreign-flagged ships, deletion from the previous registry. The full sequence from measurement to Surat Laut usually takes a matter of weeks, and longer if ownership documents are incomplete.
Surat Laut (Sea Letter) Costs: PNBP and Service Fees
The cost has two separate parts. The PNBP (non-tax state revenue) for issuing, replacing 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, file preparation, SPKE filing, coordination with the authorities and support until issuance. The fee depends on whether the grosse deed and tonnage certificate are in place, the ship’s status (for example formerly foreign-flagged), the type of application (new, provisional, replacement or endorsement) and your timeline. We quote both after reviewing the ship’s documents.
Common Reasons Applications Are Rejected or Delayed
- The Surat Ukur shows less than GT 175, so the correct document is a Pas Besar.
- The grosse deed is not yet in the current owner’s name because the ownership transfer has not been recorded.
- A formerly foreign-flagged ship has no deletion certificate from its previous flag state, so registration cannot be completed.
- The ship’s details differ between the grosse deed, the tonnage certificate and the owner’s statement.
- The provisional Surat Laut has passed its 3-month validity and cannot be extended.
- For endorsements: the ship safety certificate has expired, or the latest articles of association are missing.
Surat Laut (Sea Letter): Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a Surat Laut and a Pas Besar?
Both are Indonesian ship nationality certificates, differing in ship size and issuing authority. The Surat Laut is for ships of GT 175 or more and is issued by the Director General of Sea Transportation, while the Pas Besar is for ships from GT 7 to under GT 175 and is issued by the Harbour Master. Their validity rules and annual endorsement duty are the same.
Does a Surat Laut expire?
A Surat Laut has no fixed expiry date. It stays valid as long as the registration deed is unchanged and ownership is not transferred, and the Harbour Master must endorse it every year on the day and month of issue. If the deed changes or the ship is sold, the Director General issues a new Surat Laut carrying the same register number as the old one.
What is a provisional Surat Laut?
A provisional Surat Laut (Surat Laut Sementara) is a temporary nationality certificate for ships that do not yet hold a registration or ownership-transfer grosse deed. It is valid for 3 months, cannot be extended, and is issued by the Director General, a principal Harbour Master or a Transport Attaché.
How do I get a Surat Laut for a ship bought abroad?
A formerly foreign-flagged ship needs a deletion certificate from its previous flag state before it can be registered in Indonesia. Proof of ownership takes the form of a legalised bill of sale and a protocol of delivery and acceptance. Once the ship has been measured, registered and issued a grosse deed, the Surat Laut can be requested. A provisional Surat Laut can cover the interim period.
What should I do if the Surat Laut is lost?
A lost or damaged Surat Laut can be replaced with a new one issued by the Director General of Sea Transportation. For a lost letter, the application includes a police report; for a damaged one, the damaged document is surrendered. The replacement states that it replaces a lost or damaged letter and keeps the same register number.
Can Nautinix help with ships outside Jakarta?
Yes. Surat Laut applications are filed electronically through SPKE, so the ship’s location is not a major obstacle. Our office is in Central Jakarta and we support owners at ports across Indonesia, including coordinating the annual endorsement with the relevant Harbour Master’s office. Documents are usually exchanged via WhatsApp and email.
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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