Jakarta, December 5, 2025 – The Europe Today: The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) has identified around 700 locations in Indonesian waters that may contain treasure or valuable objects originating from sunken ships, officials confirmed on Thursday.
According to Frista Yorhanita, Director of Marine Resources at the Directorate General of Marine Management, the shipwreck cargos potentially hold artifacts and antiques of significant historical and economic value.
Approximately 90 percent of these sites are believed to be linked to ancient Chinese vessels, she said, noting that most locations are situated along historic maritime trade routes.
“The majority of locations are along the Silk Road, an ancient trade route frequently used by Chinese ships, particularly around Sumatra and Java,” Yorhanita explained.
She said the exact value of the potential treasure has not yet been determined. A formal appraisal will be conducted by the Ministry of Finance.
“The value cannot be estimated yet. Rough calculations are not reliable because these are antiques. They must first be examined—whether the items are intact or damaged will significantly affect their worth,” she added.
The KKP has so far issued 13 permits for the extraction of shipwreck cargo at selected sites, and some recovery operations are already underway. However, officials have not yet disclosed the total value of the treasures found.
Management of shipwreck cargo is among the KKP’s key priorities in strengthening Indonesia’s marine resource governance. Other major focus areas include marine sedimentation management, marine biopharmacology development, and achieving national salt self-sufficiency.
