VESSEL REVIEW | BMPP Nusantara-1 – Floating power barge to serve Indonesian coastal communities

Shipbuilder PAL Indonesia has handed over a new floating power barge to state-owned grid operator Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN). Officially designated as a barge-mounted power plant (BMPP), the vessel was named Nusantara-1 after the traditional Javanese name for the Indonesian archipelago.

BMPP Nusantara-1 is a dual-fuel floating power barge that was designed and built to address the lack of power generation equipment in some of Indonesia’s far-flung areas, particularly the eastern portion of the country. This will help the residents and businesses in these areas reduce their traditional dependence on rented power generating barges sourced from overseas, as Indonesia used to have inadequate numbers of locally-built alternatives.

The BMPP has a length of 72 metres, a beam of 27 metres, and a dual-fuel system consisting of six identical engines that can run on either diesel or LNG. This ensures uninterrupted power supply operations even when one specific fuel type is not available in large enough quantities. A draught of only 4.7 metres meanwhile allows for operations in many coastal areas and even some inland waters.

The vessel will initially be deployed to help supply electricity in Ambon and nearby communities in Maluku. It will replace Karadeniz Powership Yasin Bey, an older Turkish-built and -owned 54MW converted floating power barge that has been serving the same region since late 2016.

The newer barge was designed to be quickly and easily relocated to areas where electricity is needed but is hampered by inadequate supply caused by a lack of dedicated power generation infrastructure. In this role, the BMPP is not intended to stay in a single area indefinitely, and it is also ideal for rapid deployment to areas that have been beset by natural disasters.

BMPP Nusantara-1 will be operated jointly by PLN and Indonesia Power. In the future, the barge’s 60MW power generating capacity will have additional reserves totalling 40 MW. Construction is also planned for two additional BMPPs that will serve the same function of augmenting electrical supply in areas where it is needed the most. Combined, the three BMPPs will have a total generating capacity of 150 MW.

See all the other news, reviews and features of this month’s Marine Engines and Propulsion Systems Week right here.