ITS Campus, ITS News — Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS) facilitated a strategic audience between a delegation from Saint Petersburg, Russia, and the East Java Provincial Government at the Grahadi State Building in Surabaya on Thursday (June 12). The high-level meeting aimed to explore long-term collaboration opportunities between East Java Province and the City of Saint Petersburg.
This strategic partnership focuses on the transfer of technology for the development of high-speed aluminum vessels to be adopted in Indonesia, particularly in East Java. The initiative is expected to become a game changer for the national shipbuilding industry and maritime connectivity. The collaboration represents a tangible continuation of the relationship previously initiated by ITS lecturer from the Department of Marine Transportation Engineering, Faculty of Marine Technology, Ir Tri Achmadi, PhD.
East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa welcomed the initiative undertaken by ITS and its international partners. According to her, the cooperation will not only support advancements in maritime technology but also contribute to economic growth across East Java, particularly in Surabaya.
Khofifah further emphasized that the East Java Provincial Government is fully committed to facilitating the needs of the industry to ensure its sustainable growth in the future. “Considering East Java’s role as the logistics gateway to Eastern Indonesia, the shipbuilding technology transfer initiated by ITS is a crucial effort that deserves strong support,” stated the province’s first female governor.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the Legislative Assembly of Saint Petersburg, Alexander N. Belsky, affirmed Russia’s commitment to overseeing legal compliance and the fulfillment of all required technical documentation. He assured that the technology transfer process would be implemented in a legal and transparent manner. “This collaboration not only opens opportunities for maritime technology transfer but also strengthens diplomatic and economic relations through mutual transparency,” Belsky remarked.
On the same occasion, ITS Rector Prof. Dr. (HC) Ir Bambang Pramujati, ST, MScEng, PhD, explained that ITS has been entrusted with reviewing and adapting the initial vessel design developed in Russia to suit Indonesia’s maritime conditions and wave characteristics. “The fundamental principle of this collaboration is technological independence. ITS does not want Indonesia to merely become an observer or a market for foreign technologies,” stated the ITS Professor of Mechanical Engineering.
Furthermore, ITS has partnered with local industry stakeholders for the production of the aluminum high-speed vessels. Bambang explained that the redesigned vessels developed by ITS experts will be manufactured locally in Madura by regional shipbuilding company PT Bintang Timur Samudera.
He also revealed that the project’s feasibility study has been completed and has produced highly promising results. According to Bambang, the high-speed vessels are capable of operating up to four times faster than conventional vessels. “Following the successful fulfillment of national inter-island transportation needs, we aim to expand into international markets,” he said optimistically.
Beyond maritime technology, the collaboration is also expected to extend into the development of the digital ecosystem. Several sectors, including information technology, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence (AI), were discussed as additional areas of cooperation with Chairman Alexander N. Belsky.
This multidimensional partnership is expected to generate significant economic and social impacts while further strengthening ITS’s position as a pioneer of maritime innovation in Indonesia. The collaboration also reflects ITS’s continuous commitment to advancing the *Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)*, particularly Goal 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), Goal 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), and Goal 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).
Reporter: Syifa Rahmadina