Jakarta (ANTARA) – The Indonesian Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries is targeting the completion of the construction of 50 modern fishing vessels in 2026 as an initial stage of the government's fishing vessel modernization program.The ministry's Director General of Capture Fisheries, Lotharia Latif, stated during a press conference in Jakarta on Thursday that the program is part of the cooperation agreement between the Indonesian and British governments to build 1,582 modern fishing vessels.He noted that the ministry has been making preparations since the beginning of the year, including surveying national shipyards that will be involved in the fleet's construction.“The schedule for this June involves preparing the supply chain, materials, and equipment. For 2026, we are initially targeting the completion of 50 vessels,” he said.Latif explained that in the initial phase, the government will prioritize the construction of 50 vessels with a capacity of 30 gross tons (GT). These vessels will require 500 crew members for their operations.The Head of the Marine and Fisheries Extension and Human Resources Development Agency (BPPSDMKP), I Nyoman Radiarta, added that the modernization program will require a total of 20,094 crew members.However, recruitment and placement will be conducted in stages, aligned with the completion of the vessels.He explained that prospective crew members must undergo training and certification before being stationed on the modern vessels.Under the national fishing vessel modernization program, the government will build 1,582 vessels, comprising 1,000 30-GT ships, 557 200-GT ships, 20 500-GT ships, and five 500-GT transport vessels.Fleet modernization is deemed essential to boost the competitiveness of the national fisheries sector while meeting international demands for more advanced and environmentally friendly vessels and fishing gear.The program is part of the landmark £4 billion maritime deal between Indonesia and the UK.Under this framework, both nations agreed to build 1,582 fishing vessels domestically to strengthen the national shipyard industry while accelerating the transformation of the capture fisheries sector.