Jakarta. Indonesia's state-owned shipbuilding company, PAL, has secured a monumental $900 million project to repair and refurbish 41 naval warships, marking the largest such initiative in the country's history, the company announced on Monday.

"This is a historic moment because I have never witnessed the refurbishment of 41 warships altogether since my time with the Navy until today," PAL Chief Commissioner Didit Herdiawan said at the company's dockyard on the East Java coast on Monday.

Didit, former deputy of the Navy’s chief of staff, said projects of this scale typically handle seven or eight vessels over a period.

The extensive project aims not only to address damages but also to upgrade the warships with the latest weaponry and navigation systems, transforming them into advanced and modern assets, Didit added.

PAL CEO Kaharuddin Djenod said the company was chosen for the project due to its unparalleled capability as a local shipbuilding company capable of handling such intricate tasks.

While the Finance Ministry initially allocated $1.1 billion for the refurbishment project, the amount was streamlined for efficiency, Kaharuddin noted.

The comprehensive refurbishment, set to conclude in October 2024, will be executed in stages. This phased approach ensures that the Navy maintains its readiness and combat operability without experiencing a significant reduction in its fleets during the process.