JAKARTA, Indonesia - Eddy Logam was appointed chairman of Indonesia’s Shipbuilding & Offshore Association (Iperindo) five months before Joko “Jokowi” Widodo officially took the country’s highest office in October 2014. The coincidence proved to be extremely valuable as Iperindo’s Chairman is fully in line with President Jokowi’s mission of building Indonesia into a maritime power. A quarter billion people living across some 17,000 islands indeed make Indonesia the world’s most densely populated archipelagic nation, while shipbuilding in the country dates back to the 1600s. In fact President Jokowi knew he would face a steep path when he detailed his maritime vision during his October 2014 inauguration speech. But the president had found a perfect ally in Eddy Logam who, in May 2014, declared in an interview with The Business Times his mission as Iperindo’s then incoming chairman: “God created Indonesia as an archipelago and it is God’s will that Indonesia will develop into a maritime nation.” Almost two years on, Indonesia is on the right path to fulfill that vision. In a recent move in this direction, Iperindo has officially declared its full support to Marintec Indonesia —held in Jakarta during 23-25 November 2016 —the leading business event and learning platform for the Maritime Industry in Indonesia. Organized by UBM Indonesia, Marintec will gather over 150 local and international companies which will share technology, insight and create real growth opportunities for Indonesia and the region.