ZOAHARIAN.COM - Electric car owners who want to travel by ship may have experienced difficulties when trying to transport their vehicle. A number of ship operators are apparently still reluctant to transport electric vehicles.

However, the Ministry of Transportation (Kemenhub) emphasized that this condition was not due to a ban on carrying electric cars by ship. The problem is related to the safety standards that must be met by transport ships.

The Director of Shipping and Maritime Affairs of the Ministry of Transportation, Samsuddin, confirmed that he was still receiving reports regarding a number of ship operators who were not willing to transport electric vehicles.

"Indeed, we still receive information that there are several operators who are still reluctant to transport electric vehicles," said Samsuddin at the Ministry of Transportation, quoted from CNBC Indonesia, Tuesday (15/9/2026).

The Ministry of Transportation then again conveyed the provisions for transporting electric vehicles to ship operators. This step was taken after complaints from service users who experienced rejection when they wanted to take electric vehicles via sea transportation.

This provision has actually been regulated in Circular Letter (SE) of the Director General of Sea Transportation Number SE-DJPL 12 of 2024 concerning Handling of Indonesian Flag Ships Transporting Electric Vehicles. The circular was published on April 4, 2024.

It's not electric cars that are banned

Samsuddin explained that ship operators who are not willing to transport electric cars does not mean that these vehicles are prohibited from being on ships.

According to him, it is possible that the ship in question has not met a number of safety requirements set by the government.

"Perhaps in this case, there are things in the circular that are not fulfilled. Yes, there are things that are not fulfilled so they are not willing to transport," he said.

This means that the problem does not lie in the status of the electric car, but in the readiness of the ship and the safety facilities available.

There are special rules for electric cars

According to the provisions of the Ministry of Transportation, electric vehicles transported by ship must be placed on an open deck. Electric vehicles are not allowed to be placed on the lower car deck.

Apart from the placement location, the condition of the vehicle battery is also a concern. The battery power of electric vehicles to be transported is limited to a maximum of 50 percent.

The transport ship must also have open space that allows the crew to carry out mitigation measures if an emergency occurs on the electric vehicle.

Not only that, operators are required to provide fire fighting equipment that suits the characteristics of electric vehicles.

These rules are implemented as part of efforts to anticipate safety risks during sea travel.

"So perhaps the public also needs to understand that it doesn't mean they are rejected and then they don't carry it. Maybe some of the conditions stated in the circular are not fulfilled for safety," said Samsuddin.

Thus, electric car owners who want to use a ship need to first ensure whether the ship they choose meets the requirements for transporting electric vehicles. For operators, meeting safety standards is the main factor before accepting electric vehicles for transportation.