On 22 April 2025, Minister of Transmigration Muhammad Iftitah Sulaiman Suryanegara and the Regent of Natuna, Cen Sui Lan, met to discuss plans to make Natuna Regency an Integrated Maritime-Based Economic Development Area (Maritime KAPET). This initiative aims to stimulate the regional economy in Natuna Regency, facilitating trade access and direct connectivity with nine countries: China, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, the Philippines, Brunei Darussalam, Singapore and Taiwan. Both parties are committed to developing Natuna as an economic gateway and a national and regional maritime strategic node. The Maritime KAPET development project plans to be built on 30,000 hectares of Land Management Rights (HPL) land owned by the Ministry of Transmigration, located on Bunguran Besar Island, Natuna Regency, Riau Islands Province. This area is to be developed as a new economic growth centre for Indonesia, located in the western region and along the northern border of the Republic of Indonesia. The strategic position of Natuna on the Indonesian Archipelago Sea Route (ALKI) I and II will be utilised to maximum advantage.
The location of this Maritime KAPET is extremely well-positioned to facilitate the development of international seaports and airports, thereby enhancing Indonesia's connectivity with both Southeast and East Asia. The Minister of Transmigration will be visiting Natuna Regency together with Echelon I in the near future to review the area and strengthen the steps of economic and maritime infrastructure development. The Natuna district government is in the process of establishing a 557-hectare Industrial Special Economic Zone (SEZ) as part of a broader plan to develop a maritime industrial ecosystem. This initiative aims to enhance Natuna's attractiveness as an investment destination while simultaneously catalysing the regional economic transformation centred on the maritime sector.
