Foreign Ownership of a Wooden Yacht in Indonesia — PT PMA, GT 175 and the Crew Rule

By Wooden Yacht For Sale Editorial Desk

Foreign ownership yacht Indonesia questions run through an Indonesian legal entity, because registration is open to Indonesian citizens and Indonesian companies. Emerhub (March 2026) describes a PT PMA holding at most 49 percent beside a 51 percent Indonesian corporate partner, vessels above GT 175, KBLI 50113 and all-Indonesian crew. Confirm with a licensed maritime lawyer.

Much of what circulates on this subject comes from one commercial consultant or from word of mouth. We say clearly which parts come from official sources, which from Emerhub, and which we could not verify. Please read this as a map for a conversation with a lawyer. It is not legal advice.

Why does "can a foreigner own a boat" have no yes or no answer?

The question bundles at least four separate ones, each with its own answer.

So a foreign buyer's real question is usually: "what do I want to do with this boat, and what structure fits?" Private cruising and running a tourism business lead to very different places.

How does the company route work: PT PMA 49/51 and corporate shareholders?

Emerhub (March 2026) describes foreign ownership in a domestic shipping company (PT PMA) as capped at 49 percent. An Indonesian partner holds 51 percent, which Emerhub says may be a BUMN, BUMD or PT PMDN, and it adds that shareholders must be legal entities rather than individuals.

Three limits apply to this information:

• Emerhub is a commercial consultant offering these services. It has an interest in the structure it describes.
• We did not find the percentage in the text of UU 17/2008 as amended by UU 66/2024, so it remains limited verification.
• Rules change. Sea transport law has been amended more than once, most recently by UU 66/2024, according to the ministry metadata we found.

Ask a lawyer to read the current law and the shareholder documents. The balance of control in a 49/51 company matters as much as the percentage, and an arrangement designed to look compliant may leave you with little protection.

What does the GT 175 minimum under PP 28/2025 mean for smaller hulls?

Emerhub says PP 28/2025, in force from October 2025, requires a vessel larger than GT 175 for PT PMA maritime operations. If that reading is correct, it has a direct effect on the boat you can shortlist.

• Tonnage is not length. A wooden hull's GT comes from its measured volume. Ask for the Surat Ukur, and do not estimate from a length figure in a listing.
• Smaller boats may not fit. Many of the shorter hulls in the market may fall below that line. Check each candidate.
• Re-measurement. Data on the Surat Ukur must match the actual boat. A mismatch can delay a change of name or nationality document.

Do not treat GT 175 as a target to reach by paperwork. Ask a lawyer to confirm the rule against the text of PP 28/2025 before you buy for this structure, and take a new measurement seriously.

What are KBLI 50113 and the investment plan?

Emerhub says a liveaboard PT PMA uses KBLI 50113, for domestic sea transport for tourism, and it describes minimum figures for the investment plan and paid-up capital. It adds that vessel spending can count toward realising the investment. We leave those figures to the source itself, and you should confirm them in OSS.

The licensing set Emerhub names is SIUPAL, SIOPSUS and SIUPAR, with the PT PMA and licences usually taking 3 to 6 months. The DJPL technical guide separately confirms that SIUPAL goes to Indonesian legal entities, such as a limited company, BUMN, BUMD or cooperative. See our liveaboard page for what travels with an operating boat.

We could not confirm a KBLI code for a private yacht or charter yacht generally. If your plan differs from a liveaboard, ask specifically.

What is the crew rule: 100 percent Indonesian on board, foreigners ashore?

Emerhub says all crew on an Indonesian-flag vessel owned by a PT PMA, captain and engineer included, must be Indonesian citizens. Foreign staff may work in management, marketing, or as dive instructors with separate work permits.

For a foreign investor this has a daily consequence. You may own part of the company and still have no legal role on board in a working capacity. Check where your own time on the boat fits, and what visa covers it.

Foreign-flag yachts have separate rules on crew changes. A sailor's comment on Noonsite in October 2026 mentions an immigration circular on the subject, but that is not an official source, so ask immigration or your agent.

How does private use on a foreign flag compare with commercial use?

Before you buy on a foreign flag, consider how an Indonesian-built boat acquires a foreign flag in the first place, which would raise export and deletion questions. A boat already registered in Indonesia has to leave that register first. Read the flag and registration guide for the steps.

What should you ask a lawyer to put in writing?

When you look into an Indonesian yacht ownership structure as a foreigner, the output you want is a short written opinion rather than a phone call. Ask it to cover:

1. Which law and regulations apply today, with amendments named.
2. Whether your intended owner qualifies for registration.
3. Whether the GT 175 rule for PT PMA vessels applies to this boat, and on what measurement.
4. How the 100 percent Indonesian crew rule applies, and what your own role may be.
5. Which KBLI and licences fit your activity, confirmed in OSS.
6. Who controls the company and the boat, including what happens if partners disagree or you exit.
7. Import, tax and customs points specific to this boat's history.

Ask too what the opinion does not cover. Rules that rest on a consultant's reading should be checked against the primary text. And share the opinion with your surveyor and insurer where relevant, because structure, use and cover need to agree with one another.

Who should you consult: lawyer, notary or OSS?

• Licensed Indonesian maritime lawyer. Reads the current law, your structure and shareholder documents. Start here.
• Notary. Handles the Akta Jual Beli and company deeds, under the buying sequence.
• OSS. The licensing system, where KBLI and investment conditions can be checked.
• KSOP and DJPL. Practical contacts for registration, measurement and sailing clearance. Exact authority depends on port and vessel size.
• Bea Cukai. Vessel Declaration and import questions.
• Tax adviser. PPnBM, PPN and your home-country position.

Choose your own advisers. Advice from someone paid by the seller, or an arrangement in which a nominee quietly holds your boat, adds risk rather than removing it. Keep every agreement in writing.

What do foreign buyers ask about owning a yacht in Indonesia?

We avoid one-word answers here, because the honest answer depends on flag, use and structure.

Can a foreigner buy a boat in Indonesia?

Purchase and registration are different questions. Indonesian registration runs through citizens and Indonesian entities, and the company route is what Emerhub describes. A foreign flag on temporary import is another path for private use. Your plan decides, so ask a licensed lawyer.

What is a PMA company for yacht ownership?

PT PMA means an Indonesian limited company with foreign shareholding. Emerhub describes a 49 percent foreign cap in domestic shipping, a 51 percent Indonesian corporate partner, and shareholders that must be legal entities. Confirm this against the current law.

Do crew have to be Indonesian?

Emerhub says all crew on an Indonesian-flag PT PMA vessel must be Indonesian, including captain and engineer, with foreign staff limited to shore or dive roles under separate work permits. Confirm with your lawyer.

Can a foreigner operate a private yacht under the Indonesian flag?

Registration needs an eligible Indonesian owner, so it depends on who holds the boat and on what basis you use it. Crew and visa rules also apply. This is a question for a licensed maritime lawyer, with your specific plan in front of them.

Is the 175 GT rule confirmed?

We have it only through Emerhub's March 2026 reading of PP 28/2025. Treat that as limited verification and ask a lawyer to confirm against the regulation before you shortlist boats on that basis.

Which sources support this page?

These are the sources behind the facts above. Where a source is a commercial consultant, a snippet or a third-party guide, the text says so.

• Emerhub, Liveaboard business in Indonesia, March 2026 (commercial consultant; limited verification)
• Directorate General of Sea Transportation, KSOP Balikpapan ship status services (cites PM 39/2017; limited verification)
• DJPL KP 626/2025, SIUPAL (limited verification)
• Kemenkeu DJBC, temporary import of foreign tourist vessels
• Lexology, Vessel Declaration note
• Directorate General of Sea Transportation, foreign yacht services
• DJP, yacht luxury tax exception, July 2021
• Noonsite, Indonesia (user comments are not official)

Written and checked by the Wooden Yacht For Sale Editorial Desk.

How do I send a buyer brief about ownership?

Tell us your nationality, your intended use and whether you already have an Indonesian entity. Send a buyer brief through WhatsApp 6281139414563 or bd@juaraholding.com.

The desk does not give legal advice. Consult a licensed Indonesian maritime lawyer before you pay a deposit.