VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

One of ships produced by Chien Fu Shipbuilding Co, Ltd at the shipyard in Taiwan ( (ANTARA)

Taiwan's Chien Fu Shipbuilding Co, is ready to build modern high-tech fishing vessels made of fiber-reinforced plastics (FRP) in Indonesia in cooperation with two national companies. The two local partners are PT. Indomina Cipta Agung in Semarang and PT. Kelola Mina Laut (KML Food), Director of Administration and Planning Department of Taiwan's Ship and Ocean Industries R&D Center (SOIC) Ming-Hsien Tsan said in an official statement, made available to Antara in Jakarta on Friday.

"Chien Fu has chosen Surabaya, in East Java, as a location for their business in Indonesia and will start their activities next year," Ming said.

SOIC is a Taiwanese marine industry development institute that organized a meeting between Chien Fu and the two Indonesian partners.

Ming explained the reasons behind the planned development of FRP technology vessels which are not only environmentally friendly and reduce the significant use of wood but also offer the same price as those made of wood. Moreover, fiber has a higher level of endurance than wood.

"So FRP (vessels) are far more economical for Indonesian fishermen," he said.

PT. Kelola Mina Laut will send some of its employees to Taiwan for nearly a year to learn the technology and ways to build a fishing vessel weighing 30 to 50 tons, he said.

The dispatch of PT Kelola Mina Laut to Taiwan is aimed at ensuring the smooth transfer of technology, he said.

Indonesia needs the transfer of technology since the Indonesian fishery industry is the biggest in Southeast Asia so that the country has great potential to develop the fishing vessel manufacturing industry, Ming said.

In addition to the great potential in developing the fishery business, Chien Fu Shipbuilding Company's business expansion is also part of Taiwan's New Southbound Policy expected to strengthen cooperation with Southeast and South Asian countries, particularly Indonesia, Ming said.

Established in 1942, Chien Fu Shipbuilding Co, Ltd is one of the leading companies in Taiwan engaged in the fishing vessel construction business.  (ANTARA)