En Route to Maritime Law and Policy: Febryani Sabatira’s Journey from Grassroots Environmental Initiative to Research

Experiencing the polluted state of the coastal areas of Bandar Lampung led Febryani Sabatira to establish the Lampung Sweeping Community (LSC). Founded in 2019, LSC was created to protect the environment and raise public awareness about the importance of keeping communities clean. Through these initiatives Feby delved deeper into research on marine plastic pollution and the law of the sea.

Her passion for the law of the sea eventually led her to pursue a Master of Maritime Policy at the University of Wollongong (UOW) in 2024 through the Australia Awards Scholarship (AAS).

“I considered studying in Europe or the United States, but I discovered that UOW has a strong network of experts in maritime studies, covering both law and policy,” Feby shared.

Shifting Focus to Offshore Wind Farm

Initially, Feby intended to continue her research on the law of the sea and marine plastic pollution. However, due to the high level of uncertainty surrounding these issues, she decided to shift her focus to offshore wind farms.

“While at UOW, I had the opportunity to attend conferences on biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction and offshore renewable energy…. I felt confident that my research could make a meaningful contribution if the Indonesian government plans to develop offshore wind projects,” Feby explained.

Under the supervision of Camille Goodman and Dawoon Jung, both leading experts in the law of the sea, Feby feels that she has sharpened her critical thinking skills.

Internship at International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea

After Feby completed her studies and returned to Indonesia she found it very difficult to identify work opportunities that aligned with her expertise. Instead, with a recommendation from her supervisor, she applied for an internship at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) in Hamburg. She sees this internship as a valuable chance to deepen her understanding of the law of the sea.

In addition to her daily tasks, Feby is also undertaking her own research project at ITLOS, examining the impact of the ITLOS Advisory Opinion on the development of offshore wind farms in Indonesia.

“My supervisor, Camille, responded enthusiastically when she heard about my research project at ITLOS. She has been actively giving me feedback. To this day I still consult her regularly,” Feby shared.

Collaboration Project with Supervisors

Aware of Feby’s struggles to find a suitable job her supervisor also invited Feby to join a research project as a research associate. The collaborative research examining the regulatory landscape for maritime safety and security in offshore wind farm development across the Asia-Pacific region is expected to be published at the end of 2025 as a comprehensive report.

Beyond building strong networks with her lecturers, Feby also actively nurtured friendships with her classmates at UOW. She shared how, in August 2025, she had the opportunity to serve as a speaker at the Philippine International Law of the Sea Academy 2025.

“When preparing for the Philippine International Law of the Sea Academy, Camille once again supported me wholeheartedly. She was genuinely excited to help me prepare” Feby added.

Feby also believes this relationship played a key role in her involvement as rapporteur at the 48th Annual Conference on Oceans Law & Policy, held in India from 9-12 September 2025.

Encouraging Fellow Vulnerable Women

Growing up in a family with modest financial means, she once had to sell food in order to finish high school. When it came time to pursue university, Feby also tirelessly did tutoring services to earn extra income to support her studies at UNILA. Her determination to pursue higher education was seen as an anomaly within her community, where many believed that young women should marry early.

“Unfortunately, not everyone has the same drive to learn. In the community where I grew up, many parents were discouraged when their children wanted to go to university. Instead, they urged their children to start working straight away, fearing the high cost of education,” Feby explained.

At present, Feby is pursuing her dream of becoming a lecturer and plans to continue strengthening her expertise, one pathway being to work with NGOs in the field of the law of the sea.