Fiberglass reinforced plastic as construction material for Indonesian fishing vessels – challenges and future potential development

I Putu A Wibawa,Richard W Birmingham,P Puspitasari,M Sharifi Jebeli,A.H Suryanto,Y Rohmat Aji Pradana,I Srikun,D Zakariya Lubis,A Ayu Permanasari,M Niaz Akhtar,T Lenggo Ginta,A Dwi Astuti,A Larasati

doi:10.1051/matecconf/201820405009

Abstract

The continuous increase in the use of wood in many sectors and the growing concerns on the sustainability of the forest products has raised serious questions as to the sustainability of wood as a construction material for fishing vessels in Indonesia. Based on the current developments, Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic (FRP) material is potentially the top alternative substitute to wood for building fishing vessels in Indonesia. However, the initiatives to introduce FRP, particularly by the Indonesian government, as alternative construction material still have many problems including that of acceptance by the fishers themselves. The result of the study shows that some aspects that need to be developed for implementing FRP as construction material in the future, including: fishers’ knowledge and experiences regarding to FRP as construction material, the suitable design of the FRP fishing vessels for specific fishing communities and proper infrastructure to support the FRP boats industries.

Highlights

As one of the major nations that are engaged in capture fisheries, Indonesia has a very large number of fishing vessels
Local fishers’ opinions about Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic (FRP) generally were influenced by the characteristics of the local fishing vessels, their fishing practices and the local fishers’ understanding about FRP as a construction material for fishing vessels, which is mostly based on their personal observations or by word of mouth
The primary concern of the local fishers in Brondong and Muncar that have little or no interest in FRP is in the strength of the FRP material itself. Principally those that operate heavy fishing gear, such as purse seine and seine nets, question the strength of FRP to deal with any large and repetitive impacts that the structure may possibly receive, during fishing activities and when undertaking a beach landing in order to carry out repairs

Summary

Introduction

As one of the major nations that are engaged in capture fisheries, Indonesia has a very large number of fishing vessels. According to the existing general condition of the fleet, in addition to low level of technology applied on board, the problems lies in the choice of the construction material for the fishing vessels following the growing concern with complex environmental and sustainability issues [3]. Through many programmes from the Indonesian government and through various international institutions such as the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations (UN) One of those programmes was part of the recovery and mitigation programme after the tsunami disaster in Aceh Province in 2004, as a result of which FRP fishing vessels had been donated to local fishing communities by many countries and international organizations [4, 5]

Methods

Results

Conclusion