United States grants $227,000 to protect USS Houston shipwreck in Indonesia

The United States government has provided a grant of approximately $227,000 (IDR 4 billion) to Indonesia's Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) to preserve the USS Houston shipwreck site in Banten Bay. The site, a World War II underwater cultural heritage location, marks where the cruiser fought in the Sunda Strait in March 1942.

The two-year project, funded through the Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP), will run from late 2026 to mid-2028. Key objectives include preventing illegal material looting, monitoring destructive fishing practices, and managing threats such as marine debris and fishing nets snagged on the wreck.

To implement the program, the KKP and the NGO Perkumpulan Eksotika Desa Lestari will establish and train three community-based monitoring groups in Pulau Panjang, Karangantu, and Bojonegara. The initiative will also include technical training, the development of digital reporting tools, and public awareness campaigns to protect the maritime historical site.