Yacht support firm cuts costs of boats’ entry to Indonesia by 50 per cent

This follows sweeping changes made to the framework of the yacht clearance process by the Indonesian government this year.
“APS was heavily involved in an advisory capacity to the government of Indonesia throughout the process to streamline clearances,” said operations manager Thomas Taatjes. “But we didn’t really know how this would reflect financially. However, after bringing a few yachts in under the new system, not only is the whole process faster, it is also far cheaper. We are thrilled to be able to pass this on to our clients.”
Major changes to procedures reported by APS Indonesia are as follows:
No more CAIT (Cruising Application for Indonesian Territory). Thus there is no more one-month lead time to obtain permits.
The Cruising Declaration only takes about 24 hours for APS to process once it has all the documents from the boat.
Faster, more streamlined clearance. The APS clearance team has 90 per cent of the process already completed by the time the yacht arrives. After a short inspection and a few documents signed by the captain, everything is done.
Significant decrease in costs of clearance. APS deals directly with each department, with no middlemen. This has cut costs by more than half.
No more PIB. This customs bond has haunted the yachting industry for a decade.
Its removal reduces costs significantly and speeds up the arrival process considerably.
APS Indonesia, established in 2008, claims to be the leading superyacht support team in Indonesia. The agency has brought close to 300 yachts into the country, including some of the biggest in the world.
“When we started, our clients were classified as a military threat,” said APS Indonesia director Richard Lofthouse.
 “To say it was a challenge is a massive understatement. But our clients’ experiences were so mind-blowing they kept coming back.
“We have gradually established an industry and a true yachting destination in Indonesia. We are sincerely grateful to the government of Indonesia for recognising and adapting policy to help yachting in Indonesia to grow.
“So far the results are fantastic and our clients are thrilled when they get our bill, which is a pretty cool position to be in.”