Indonesia must continue to develop innovations in the maritime sector to achieve the national vision of global maritime axis by 2045, according to former minister of research and technology/head of National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) Bambang Brodjonegoro.
As the largest island country, with the second-longest coastline, Indonesia must harness its marine potential as the ultimate source of livelihood for driving its advancement, he noted.
“The idea of smart maritime development must be directed to bolster our efforts to achieve a sovereign, just, advanced, and prosperous Indonesia in 2045, the centenary of our independence,” Brodjonegoro stated during an online webinar on smart maritime and smart agriculture in Jakarta on Wednesday.
The maritime sector contributed merely 6.4 percent to the national economy in 2015, and Indonesia must strive to double the percentage to 12.5 percent by 2045 to achieve the global maritime axis vision by that time, he noted.
“The development must be focused on maritime connectivity, industrialisation of the fishery sector, and marine tourism,” the former minister affirmed.
Apart from boosting the maritime sector as the nation’s economic powerhouse, developing national human resources for the maritime sector is equally essential, he stressed.
“We must develop advanced maritime human resources through innovations in marine technology,” Brodjonegoro remarked.
He reiterated the significance of innovation-based development for boosting the nation’s economy and escaping from the middle-income trap.
“Innovation in the marine sector is essential because Indonesia’s territory mostly comprises the sea. Indonesia must also be able to sustain by making the most of its own marine industry capability and protecting its maritime territory,” the former minister stated.
Indonesia must also work towards honing its information technology capabilities for complementing development of the marine industry, he added.
“If we are not yet able to create the technology, at least we must optimise the use of technology to achieve efficiency in the maritime sector,” Brodjonegoro added.
Source: Antara News