Certification Criteria by Tier
This page sets out the full, publicly accessible criteria for each tier of the Komodo Guide Certified Operator (KGCO) program. All criteria are defined by reference to verifiable Indonesian regulatory documents or internationally recognised standards. No criterion is assessed subjectively. Operators are assessed only against the criteria published here; no additional private criteria exist.
Indonesian Regulatory Framework
Tour operators serving Komodo National Park operate within a layered Indonesian regulatory framework. The primary instruments referenced in KGCO criteria are listed below. Where a regulation has been revised or superseded, the version in force at the time of assessment is applied.
| Instrument | Issuing authority | Relevance to KGCO |
|---|---|---|
| Nomor Induk Berusaha (NIB) via OSS.go.id |
BKPM / OSS system (Kementerian Investasi) | Tier 1 — mandatory business registration number for all Indonesian commercial entities |
| Tanda Daftar Usaha Pariwisata (TDUP) | Kemenparekraf / regional tourism office | Tier 1 — tourism business registration; required for all travel and tour operators |
| SIMAKSI (Surat Izin Masuk Kawasan Konservasi) | BTNK (Balai Taman Nasional Komodo) | Tier 1 — protected-area access permit; required for each vessel entry into KNP waters |
| Permenhub PM 7/2019 on vessel safety certification |
Kementerian Perhubungan (Ministry of Transportation) | Tier 1 — vessel class certificate, tonnage certificate, and seaworthiness certificate |
| SLO (Sistem Layanan Online) vessel safety cert | Ditjen Perhubungan Laut (Ditjen Hubla) | Tier 2 — electronic vessel safety certificate confirming periodic inspection compliance |
| STCW Convention 1978 (as amended 2010) | IMO / implemented by Ditjen Hubla | Tier 2 — Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping; specifically BST module |
| MARPOL Annex V | IMO / ratified by Indonesia (PP No. 21/2010) | Tier 3 — prohibits discharge of garbage at sea; requires garbage management plan |
Tier 1 — License Verified
Annual fee: IDR 1.500.000 | Prerequisite: none
Tier 1 establishes the minimum legal threshold: that the operator is lawfully constituted as an Indonesian business, is registered as a tourism operator with the relevant government authority, holds a valid park-access permit, and operates vessels that have been certified as seaworthy under applicable Indonesian maritime regulations. Tier 1 certification does not indicate excellence; it indicates confirmed legal compliance with baseline Indonesian requirements at the time of assessment.
| # | Criterion | Required document | Verification source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1 | National business registration (NIB) | Nomor Induk Berusaha certificate from OSS portal, current and not suspended | Cross-checked against OSS.go.id public registry |
| 1.2 | Tourism business registration (TDUP) | Tanda Daftar Usaha Pariwisata issued by Kemenparekraf or local government tourism office; must cover the tour / travel category of business | Document issued by Kemenparekraf or Dinas Pariwisata Manggarai Barat |
| 1.3 | Park-access permit (SIMAKSI) | Current Surat Izin Masuk Kawasan Konservasi for at least one vessel or licence to arrange entry; must be valid at date of submission | Issued by BTNK (Balai Taman Nasional Komodo), Labuan Bajo |
| 1.4 | Vessel class certificate | Class certificate issued under Permenhub PM 7/2019 by Ditjen Hubla or class society (BKI) for each vessel used for passenger transport | Biro Klasifikasi Indonesia (BKI) or Ditjen Hubla register |
| 1.5 | Vessel tonnage measurement certificate | Surat Ukur (measurement certificate) confirming GT tonnage, current | Ditjen Hubla / Syahbandar port authority |
| 1.6 | Vessel seaworthiness certificate | Surat Persetujuan Berlayar (port clearance / seaworthiness confirmation) for each passenger vessel; must be current (typically valid per voyage but the operator must demonstrate ongoing compliance) | Syahbandar (harbour master) Labuan Bajo |
Tier 2 — Safety Compliant
Annual fee: IDR 3.500.000 | Prerequisite: Tier 1 certification current
Tier 2 assesses whether the operator's vessels and crew meet the safety standards that directly protect passengers. The criteria address: the active electronic safety certification of each vessel (SLO), the installation and registration of AIS transponders enabling vessel tracking, the possession of internationally recognised safety training certificates by key crew members, and the maintenance of adequate passenger liability insurance. Tier 2 operators have demonstrated that they have operationally engaged with the safety systems that Indonesian maritime regulation and international convention require — not merely that they hold the paper entitlements of Tier 1.
| # | Criterion | Required document | Verification source / standard |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.1 | All Tier 1 criteria met and current | Tier 1 certification current, or Tier 1 re-assessed as part of Tier 2 application | KGCO assessment record |
| 2.2 | SLO vessel safety certificate | Active Sertifikat Keselamatan (SLO) from Ditjen Perhubungan Laut for each passenger vessel; confirms periodic safety inspection completed | Ditjen Hubla SLO online registry |
| 2.3 | AIS transponder registration | Automatic Identification System (AIS) MMSI registration document for each vessel above 15 GT; or documented exemption for vessels under 15 GT where AIS is optional under Indonesian regulation | Ditjen Hubla vessel registry; MMSI verifiable on MarineTraffic or equivalent |
| 2.4 | Crew STCW Basic Safety Training (BST) | Valid STCW BST certificates (STCW Regulation VI/1) for the master and chief officer of each passenger vessel; certificates must be within the 5-year renewal period | STCW Convention 1978 as amended Manila 2010; certificates issued by Indonesian maritime education institutions accredited by Ditjen Hubla |
| 2.5 | P&I passenger liability insurance | Current Protection and Indemnity (P&I) insurance policy providing passenger liability cover for each vessel, or equivalent Indonesian marine liability insurance policy; policy schedule showing cover dates and vessel names | Policy document; insurer verified as licensed by OJK (Otoritas Jasa Keuangan) |
| 2.6 | ASITA membership (positive indicator) | Current ASITA membership card or certificate (e.g., ASITA NTT chapter); absence does not disqualify, but current membership is noted as a positive indicator of industry-association accountability | ASITA DPP or chapter registry; for komodoexplorer.com, ASITA no. 074/XIX/DPP/2022 |
Tier 3 — Environmental Excellence
Annual fee: IDR 5.000.000 | Prerequisite: Tier 1 and Tier 2 certification current
Tier 3 is the highest level of KGCO certification. It recognises operators who demonstrably reduce their ecological footprint within the Coral Triangle ecosystem and actively benefit the local communities whose livelihoods are linked to the park. The criteria align with established international standards where applicable — Manta Trust and TNC reef-friendly anchoring protocols, MARPOL Annex V on marine pollution, and STCW-based crew qualifications — while also addressing issues specific to the Komodo context: the employment of local Indonesian and specifically Manggarai/Bajo crew members, and transparent benefit-sharing with park-adjacent communities.
| # | Criterion | Required evidence | Standard / reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.1 | All Tier 1 and Tier 2 criteria met and current | Tier 2 certification current, or full Tier 1–2 re-assessment conducted | KGCO assessment record |
| 3.2 | Reef-friendly anchoring (Manta-Anchor / TNC protocol) | Written anchoring policy prohibiting anchor deployment on live coral; documented evidence of mooring-buoy use at BTNK-designated sites; or participation in TNC / Manta Trust reef-friendly anchoring programme with supporting records | Manta Trust "Manta-Anchor" guidance; The Nature Conservancy Coral Triangle reef-friendly anchoring protocol |
| 3.3 | MARPOL Annex V waste management compliance | Vessel Garbage Management Plan (GMP) in accordance with MARPOL 73/78 Annex V (Regulation 10); Garbage Record Book showing waste disposal records; crew briefing records confirming zero-overboard-discharge policy for plastics and food waste | MARPOL Annex V; ratified by Indonesia via PP No. 21/2010; enforced by Syahbandar and KLHK |
| 3.4 | Indonesian crew ≥70% | Crew manifest for each passenger vessel showing Indonesian nationality for at least 70% of total crew (master + officers + deck crew + service crew); crew cards (buku pelaut) confirming Indonesian citizenship | Cabotage principle under Indonesian Shipping Law (UU No. 17/2008); spirit of Indonesian maritime crew employment policy |
| 3.5 | Community benefit-sharing (documented) | Evidence of at least one of: (a) verified sourcing agreements with Labuan Bajo–based suppliers covering provisions or equipment; (b) employment records showing local Manggarai or Bajo crew or guides constituting ≥30% of crew or guide workforce; (c) documented financial contributions to a locally managed conservation or community fund with supporting receipts | Kemenparekraf Sustainable Tourism Guidelines; BTNK Community Benefit guidelines; no specific regulation — assessed on documentary evidence |
| 3.6 | Formal complaint-resolution mechanism | Written complaint-handling policy with a stated maximum response time of no more than 14 business days; evidence that the policy is communicated to customers (e.g., website page, booking documentation); at least one contact channel (email or phone) dedicated to complaints | Komodo Guide complaint-forwarding protocol; UU No. 8/1999 on Consumer Protection (Perlindungan Konsumen) |
How Criteria Are Verified
All KGCO criteria are verified by document review. Where a document can be cross-referenced against a public registry (OSS.go.id for NIB; Ditjen Hubla for SLO and vessel registration; MMSI databases for AIS), the assessment panel performs that cross-reference independently of the submitted copy. Where documents cannot be independently cross-referenced (for example, crew nationality manifests or garbage record books), the assessment panel reviews the originals or certified copies provided by the operator, and any material discrepancy identified by a complaint or supplementary audit will be treated as grounds for reassessment.
Site visits are not a standard component of the initial assessment but may be conducted biannually or in response to a complaint. The Audit Methodology page describes the full site-visit protocol.
Criteria Revision Policy
Criteria are reviewed annually. Any proposed revision to add, remove, or modify a criterion requires a minimum 60-day public consultation period before taking effect. Notifications of proposed revisions are posted on this page and sent to all currently certified operators. The revision log below records all changes made to these criteria after initial publication.
Criteria Revision Log
No revisions recorded. Criteria published 2026-05-31. Next scheduled review: 2027-05-31.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What documents are required for Tier 1 certification?
Tier 1 requires six documents: (1) NIB — Nomor Induk Berusaha from OSS.go.id; (2) TDUP — Tanda Daftar Usaha Pariwisata covering the tour/travel category; (3) SIMAKSI — Surat Izin Masuk Kawasan Konservasi from BTNK; and vessel documents per Permenhub PM 7/2019: (4) class certificate, (5) Surat Ukur tonnage certificate, and (6) Surat Persetujuan Berlayar seaworthiness certificate. All must be current at the date of submission.
What does the SLO certificate verify for Tier 2?
The SLO (Sistem Layanan Online) is an active vessel safety certificate issued by the Directorate General of Sea Transportation (Ditjen Hubla). It confirms that a periodic safety inspection of the vessel has been completed and the vessel is currently compliant with Indonesian maritime safety regulations. The SLO is verifiable through the Ditjen Hubla online registry and is required per passenger vessel. It goes beyond the basic Tier 1 vessel class certificate by confirming active operational safety compliance.
What is the Manta-Anchor protocol required for Tier 3?
Criterion 3.2 requires a written anchoring policy prohibiting anchor deployment on live coral, with documented use of mooring buoys at BTNK-designated sites, or participation in the TNC/Manta Trust reef-friendly anchoring programme. Operators must provide anchoring policy documentation and mooring-buoy use records. This criterion aligns with Manta Trust and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) Coral Triangle reef-friendly anchoring guidance to protect Indonesia's Coral Triangle reef systems.
How are crew quotas verified for Tier 3?
Criterion 3.4 requires a crew manifest for each passenger vessel showing that at least 70% of total crew (master, officers, deck crew, and service crew combined) hold Indonesian nationality. Buku pelaut (seafarer identity documents) are submitted for a verification sample. This requirement is aligned with Indonesia's cabotage principle under UU No. 17/2008 and supports local employment in Komodo National Park's park-adjacent communities.
Are criteria ever assessed subjectively?
No. All KGCO criteria are verified by document review against objective, publicly defined standards. Where documents can be cross-referenced against public registries (OSS.go.id for NIB, Ditjen Hubla for SLO and vessel registration, MMSI databases for AIS), the panel performs that cross-reference independently. No criterion is assessed using opinion, reputation, or undisclosed benchmarks. Operators are assessed only against the criteria published on this page; no private criteria exist.
How often are the criteria revised?
Criteria are reviewed annually. Any proposed revision — adding, removing, or modifying a criterion — requires a minimum 60-day public consultation period before taking effect. Notifications of proposed revisions are posted on this page and sent to all currently certified operators. The criteria revision log records all changes made after initial publication. No revisions have been recorded since the program launched on 2026-05-31.