Economy

Bahlil Orders Doubling of Fuel Ships, Stock Safe 16-18 Days

Stateline MEDIA Newsroom•October 18, 2026•4 min read

ESDM Minister Bahlil Lahadalia ordered Pertamina to double its fuel transport vessel fleet to resolve queues in Bali. National stocks are claimed safe at 16-18 days; the problem lies in the distribution route. Bahlil also revealed alleged hoarding of subsidized diesel.

Key Facts

Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia ordered PT Pertamina to double its fleet of fuel transport vessels to speed up distribution, especially from East Java to Bali, which relies on sea transport.
National fuel stock endurance stands at 16-18 days of national demand according to Pertamina's report; the figure is down from about 20 days previously but is still considered safe.
Bahlil said the main problem is not stock or refinery operations but the distribution route; long queues in Bali began easing on Thursday (15/10/2026) although recovery is not yet complete.
The decline in stock endurance is concentrated in Pertalite (RON 90) due to a consumption shift from RON 92 and RON 95 to subsidized fuel; RON 92, 95, and 98 are said to be unaffected.
Bahlil revealed alleged hoarding of subsidized diesel that is stockpiled and resold at industrial prices; the government is coordinating with the Police for enforcement action.
The statement followed a coordination meeting with Danantara CEO Rosan Roeslani, Danantara COO Dony Oskaria, National Police Chief Suyudi Ario Seto, and DPR Deputy Speaker Sufmi Dasco Ahmad at the ESDM Ministry office, Jakarta, Friday (16/10/2026).

Bahlil: Double Fuel Ships, National Stock Safe at 16-18 Days

The government has taken emergency action to restore fuel distribution that has stalled in several regions. Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) and Coordinating Minister for Downstream and Energy Transition, Bahlil Lahadalia, ordered PT Pertamina (Persero) to immediately add and double its fleet of fuel transport vessels.

The instruction focuses on speeding up deliveries from East Java to Bali, which in recent days has seen long queues at fuel stations due to sea-shipment disruptions. Bahlil delivered the instruction after a coordination meeting at the ESDM Ministry office, Jakarta, Friday (16/10/2026).

"I instructed them to immediately double the ships so that undesirable conditions do not occur in the regions, for acceleration," Bahlil said in the official statement.

The Problem Is Distribution, Not Stock

Bahlil stressed that national fuel stock endurance currently stands at 16 to 18 days of national demand based on Pertamina's report. The figure is down from about 20 days previously, but the government confirmed the reserves still meet the minimum energy security standards it has set.

"I also received a report from Pertamina that nationally, our fuel is at 16 to 18 days. So the national fuel stock, God willing, is safe," Bahlil said at the ESDM Ministry office, Jakarta, Friday (16/10/2026).

According to Bahlil, the problem on the ground is purely technical logistics of inter-island delivery, not stock availability or refinery operations. "There is no problem with stock, and no problem with refineries; the problem is the distribution route, which is why we are adding ships," he said. The government is optimistic national fuel reserves can be restored to a safe level of 20 days of national demand within about a week.

Pertalite Under Pressure, Subsidized Diesel Hoarded

Bahlil explained the decline in stock endurance is concentrated in Pertalite, the RON 90 fuel. The cause is a shift in consumption patterns as the public moves from higher-octane fuels, such as RON 92 and RON 95, to subsidized fuel due to price differences. "RON 92, RON 95, and RON 98 are not a problem. The shift in stock endurance to 16-18 days occurred in RON 90," Bahlil said.

Beyond distribution problems, Bahlil revealed alleged hoarding of subsidized diesel that worsens queues at a number of fuel stations. "Subsidized diesel is stockpiled and then resold at industrial prices. Yet the subsidy is borne by the state," Bahlil said. The government stressed that coordination with the Police is needed for enforcement action should violations be found amid fuel scarcity issues in several regions.

The coordination meeting was also attended by Danantara CEO Rosan Roeslani, Danantara COO Dony Oskaria, National Police Chief Suyudi Ario Seto, and DPR Deputy Speaker Sufmi Dasco Ahmad. On Thursday (15/10/2026), Bahlil said fuel queues in Bali had begun to ease, although recovery was not yet fully complete — making the accelerated ship deployment decisive for full recovery in the coming days.