Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) has identified around 700 locations in Indonesian waters containing potential treasure or valuable objects from sunken ships.
These shipwreck cargos may hold artifacts and antiques of significant historical and economic value.
Director of Marine Resources at the Directorate General of Marine Management at KKP, Frista Yorhanita, said in Jakarta on Thursday that about 90 percent of the sites are linked to Chinese ships.
“The majority of locations are along the Silk Road, an ancient trade route frequently used by Chinese ships, particularly around Sumatra and Java,” she explained.
Yorhanita noted that the potential value of sunken treasures at these sites has not yet been determined. An official appraisal will be conducted by the Ministry of Finance.
“The value cannot yet be estimated. Rough calculations cannot be used as a reference because these items are antiques. They must be inspected first—whether intact or broken will significantly affect their value,” she said.
She added that the KKP has issued 13 permits for the extraction of shipwreck cargo from the identified sites, with some already undergoing recovery. However, she could not yet disclose the total value of the treasure found.
Shipwreck cargo management is one of the KKP’s strategic priorities in marine resource governance. Other key issues include marine sedimentation management, marine biopharmacology development, and salt self-sufficiency.
