Jakarta. The world’s largest archipelagic state is turning to one of Europe’s most digitally advanced economies, as Indonesia and Estonia explore cooperation in low-emission shipping and port modernization.

At a business forum in Jakarta, Estonia’s Minister of Infrastructure, Kuldar Leis, pitched his country as a gateway to “sustainable and smart maritime solutions” in the Baltic Sea region. Backed by a delegation of maritime and technology firms, he said Estonia’s strengths — digital governance, green technology, and a tightly integrated maritime ecosystem — can extend well beyond Europe.

“Estonia is a gateway to maritime excellence. Our maritime industry is sustainable and technologically advanced, and we offer a supportive business environment and collaborative ecosystem,” Leis said Tuesday.

Indonesia, for its part, offers scale. With more than 17,000 islands and thousands of ports, it faces vast and costly logistical challenges. The country aims to reach net-zero emissions in the maritime sector by 2050, focusing on alternative fuels such as LNG, LPG, and ammonia, alongside the development of “green ports” and improved energy efficiency. Key strategies include scaling up biofuels, electrifying shipping, leveraging blue carbon, and investing in modern vessel technologies. While many doubt that Indonesia will achieve the target on time, progress and commitment matter more.

“Indonesia is opening opportunities for practical, forward-looking, and mutually beneficial cooperation,” said Suntana, the vice minister of transportation. He pointed to Estonia’s global reputation in digital governance as a useful reference as Indonesia builds out its own digital ecosystem.

The Estonian delegation reflects a cluster-based approach to innovation. Firms such as 5.0 Robotics (industrial automation), Cybernetica (cybersecurity and digital infrastructure), Dipperfox (electric excavation tools), Insta Globe (connectivity solutions), SRC Estonia (maritime engineering), and Varcus Solutions (digital systems integration) were joined by research institutions, including the Marine Technology Competence Centre at TalTech. The presence of the Port of Tallinn underscores the push to export operational expertise in port management and vessel traffic systems.

Electrifying the Sea Lanes
Kaupo Läänerand, a senior executive involved in maritime electrification at SRC, sees Indonesia as a natural future market for shore power — systems that allow ships to plug into the electricity grid while docked rather than burn fuel. “The easiest entry point is domestic ferries,” he told The Jakarta Globe during a media visit to Tallinn earlier this month, adding that shorter inter-island routes are well suited to hybrid or fully electric vessels.

Such technologies are gaining traction globally, driven by a mix of regulation and market pressure. The International Maritime Organization’s decarbonization strategy, along with regional rules in Europe and places such as California, is pushing shipowners and ports to cut emissions. Shore power, in particular, can eliminate the need for ships to run diesel engines while at berth, sharply reducing their carbon footprint.

Indonesia’s geography could be a good proving ground. Electrifying even part of its ferry network and supplying ports with grid-based energy would yield significant environmental benefits. But the transition is not straightforward. It requires coordination among port operators, shipowners, power utilities, and policymakers, as well as significant upfront investment.

That is where Estonia sees an opening. Its firms are offering not only equipment but also systems integration and experience from early pilot projects in Europe. “The first projects are always the hardest,” Läänerand said, arguing that governments play a decisive role in kick-starting green corridors — designated shipping routes where low-emission technologies are prioritized.

Ports as Platforms
Digitalization is the other pillar of cooperation. According to Rene Pärt, a business development executive at the Port of Tallinn, Indonesian ports could benefit from “control tower” systems that integrate vessel traffic, berth allocation, and port services into a single platform. Estonia has implemented such systems domestically, linking multiple ports into a unified operational framework.

For Indonesia, the appeal lies in modularity. Rather than replacing existing systems wholesale, Estonian solutions can be adapted to specific ports, allowing incremental upgrades across a sprawling network. Early discussions with state-owned port operator Pelindo and energy firm Pertamina suggest that there's a strong interest.

Still, distance and scale present challenges. Estonia’s experience managing a handful of ports is not directly comparable to Indonesia’s vast maritime landscape. The question is whether its technologies and its model of tightly integrated digital governance can be scaled to a much larger and more fragmented system.

Yet both sides appear willing to try. For Estonia, Indonesia represents not just a market but a proving ground for exporting its maritime technologies globally. For Indonesia, the partnership offers access to niche expertise as it navigates the costly transition to greener and smarter shipping.

Bernardino Vega, vice chairman for international relations at the Indonesia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin), said Indonesia needs strong maritime connectivity, resilient infrastructure, and secure, scalable digital systems.

“For Indonesia, the future of maritime competitiveness will depend on ports, vessels, logistics, as well as the security and reliability of the digital systems that support them,” he said.