Complete Processing Solutions for Indonesian Seafarer Identification Documents
The Seaman's Book (Buku Pelaut) is more than just an identification document; it is the official record of your maritime career, documenting your sea service, qualifications, and professional history. For Indonesian seafarers, maintaining a valid, accurate, and up-to-date Seaman's Book is a fundamental requirement for international employment, visa applications, and career advancement.
INDO DOCS provides comprehensive administrative support for all Seaman's Book requirements. Working in strict coordination with the Ministry of Transportation's Directorate General of Sea Transportation (Hubla) and Harbormaster offices (KSOP/Syahbandar), we ensure your maritime documents are processed efficiently, correctly, and in full compliance with Indonesian regulations and the STCW Convention (Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers).
For cadets and new seafarers entering the maritime industry, obtaining your first Seaman's Book is the critical first step. The process involves registering your identity and basic safety training qualifications in the national maritime database.
INDO DOCS manages the entire application workflow:
A Seaman's Book is valid for a specific period, typically coinciding with the validity of passport or certificates, but often capped at a set number of years or until the pages are full. Timely renewal is essential to avoid disruptions to your sea service.
We recommend initiating the renewal process at least 6 months before your current book expires. Additionally, if your book pages are nearly full, you must apply for a replacement/extension even if the validity date is not yet reached.
INDO DOCS expedites renewals by ensuring your sea service records are properly digitized and recognized in the national system before the physical book is processed. We resolve common issues such as discrepancies in sea service dates or missing sign-off stamps that can delay renewal.
Losing a Seaman's Book can be a crisis for a seafarer, particularly if it occurs shortly before a scheduled deployment. The replacement process is more rigorous than renewal, as it requires establishing the loss officially and protecting your identity.
Lost Book: Requires a Police Report of Loss (Surat Kehilangan Kepolisian) detailing when and where the document was lost. We assist in preparing the necessary affidavits and coordinating with authorities to issue a replacement book while attempting to recover as much service history as possible from the digital database.
Damaged Book: If a book is water-damaged, torn, or unreadable, it must be replaced. The physical damaged book must be surrendered to the authority during the application process.
Important: A replacement book will have a new number. You must update your manning agency and any active visa applications immediately upon receiving the new book. INDO DOCS provides guidance on how to manage this transition to minimize impact on your travel capability.
As you progress in your career from rating to officer, or upgrade your certification level (e.g., from OOW to Chief Mate), your Seaman's Book must accurately reflect your current qualification. This is crucial for visa applications and flag state endorsement applications (COE).
We assist in updating your Seaman's Book and online seafarer profile when you achieve new Certificates of Competency (COC) or Certificates of Proficiency (COP). This ensures that when foreign maritime administrations verify your credentials online, the data matches your physical documents.
Modern maritime administration is digital. Your physical Seaman's Book is linked to your digital profile in the Indonesian Seafarer Database. Discrepancies between the physical book and the digital record are the #1 cause of visa rejections and flag state endorsement delays.
INDO DOCS conducts a comprehensive audit of your digital profile:
By ensuring your digital footprint is clean and accurate, we prevent administrative hurdles that could otherwise ground you indefinitely.
We understand shore leave is short. Our streamlined process minimizes the time you need to spend at government offices, allowing you to focus on your rest period.
Your original certificates are valuable assets. We use a secure, tracked document chain of custody system to ensure no document is ever lost or misplaced while in our care.
We strictly adhere to official procedures. No "backdoor" processing or fake stamps. Our services protect your career from legal risks associated with fraudulent documentation.
Whether you need a new issuance, renewal, or urgent replacement, INDO DOCS is ready to assist. Contact us with your details for a document assessment.
Contact Us