Government Opens Opportunities for Foreign Investors in the Construction of Giant Sea Walls
Jakarta – The government is opening opportunities for foreign investors to be involved in the construction of giant sea walls on the north coast of Java. This project was designated as a national strategic program by President Prabowo Subianto and is designed to address the threat of tidal flooding, land subsidence, and extreme climate change.
Chairman of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Anindya Novyan Bakrie, encouraged the involvement of Dutch entrepreneurs in this project. In a meeting with the Deputy Minister of Foreign Economic Relations of the Netherlands, Michiel Sweers, Anindya emphasized the importance of collaboration with the Netherlands, which has more than five centuries of experience in water management and building sea walls.
“This project is more than just a defense against flooding and land subsidence. This is an invitation to create Indonesia’s next growth corridor,” said Anindya.
This project will stretch approximately 500 kilometers from Banten to Gresik, East Java, with an estimated cost of US$80 billion or Rp1,297 trillion. At the 2025 International Conference on Infrastructure (ICI), President Prabowo stated that construction would last for 20 years and must begin as soon as possible.
The embankment is again in the spotlight due to the increasing risk of tidal flooding and land subsidence of up to 10-15 cm per year in coastal areas. The government considers collaboration with the Netherlands to be very important to accelerate implementation and ensure the success of this long-term project.
The government will also form a Sea Wall Authority Agency to accelerate the realization of the project. Kadin considers that the water infrastructure financing scheme through private partnerships can be a great opportunity.
“The cooperation that has been discussed through G2G can be expanded to the private sector. I believe this cooperation will be a very big milestone,” added Anindya.
Meanwhile, the Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development, Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY), also invited Dutch business actors to establish partnerships. In the CEO Roundtable Discussion involving 14 Dutch companies, AHY emphasized that the Indonesian Giant Embankment project is no longer an option, but a necessity.
“I believe you all have the experience and expertise to help us achieve this goal. Let us explore new collaborations that are closer and beneficial to both countries,” he concluded.
