Febryani Sabatira’s Journey: From Grassroots Action to Global Maritime Policy

Once labelled one of Indonesia’s dirtiest beaches, a coastal area in Bandar Lampung became a turning point for Febryani Sabatira, better known as Feby. Seeing the polluted state of her grandfather’s hometown inspired her to establish the Lampung Sweeping Community (LSC) with her peers in 2019.

Initially focused on community activities and environmental awareness, LSC sparked Feby’s growing interest in Indonesia’s waste crisis. She soon began exploring environmental issues through research, examining marine plastic pollution and the law of the sea in her undergraduate thesis and master’s dissertation at Universitas Lampung (UNILA).

While completing her first masters degree, Feby attended the First Women in the Law of the Sea Conference, hosted by the International Seabed Authority at the United Nations Headquarters in New York in 2022.

‘At that conference, I met many experts in the field of the law of the sea. It also made me realise that studying overseas would open greater opportunities to connect with leading experts in this area,’ she said.

This experience encouraged Feby to pursue a Masters of Maritime Policy at the University of Wollongong (UOW) in 2024 through the Australia Awards Scholarship (AAS).

‘After conducting some research, 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

Feby initially intended to continue researching the law of the sea and marine plastic pollution. However, exposure to emerging discussions on offshore renewable energy encouraged her to reconsider her research direction.

‘While at UOW, I had the opportunity to attend conferences on biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction and offshore renewable energy. Engaging in discussions with academics at those events sparked my interest in offshore renewable energy, particularly because Indonesia does not yet have an offshore wind farm,’ Feby explained.

Rather than viewing the absence of an established industry as a limitation, Feby saw an opportunity for research to contribute to future policymaking.

Her minor thesis, ‘Future Regulatory Framework for Offshore Wind Farms: Addressing Environmental Impacts in Indonesia’, was subsequently published in the Asia-Pacific Journal of Ocean Law and Policy in May 2026.

Her studies at UOW also broadened her understanding of maritime law beyond her initial area of interest.

’During my masters at UOW, I didn’t only study public aspects of maritime law, but also private law related to shipping and even insurance. Studying in Australia made me realise how much I had been missing and how limited my knowledge was,’ she reflected.

For Feby, the Australian learning environment was equally important. She valued an approach that encouraged students to question ideas, think independently and contribute their own perspectives.

‘There’s no rigid hierarchy in the study environment in Australia. I was able to express my views and ideas freely, and the input I shared was genuinely appreciated. Those experiences have really shaped my character,’ she said.

Taking Research into the International Arena

Under the supervision of UOW academics Camille Goodman and Dawoon Jung, Feby further developed her analytical and critical thinking skills.

‘Looking back at some of my past research projects, I realised that I had overlooked so many important details,’ she added.

After completing her studies, Feby faced a new challenge: finding work in Indonesia that matched her specialised expertise. Rather than abandoning her field, she sought alternative ways to gain experience and expand her professional network.

‘I spent several months trying to find a job that matched my field. In Indonesia, it’s very difficult to find opportunities that align with my expertise,’ Feby explained.

With a recommendation from her UOW supervisor, she secured an internship with the Legal Office of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) in Hamburg, Germany, beginning in July 2025. She considers the internship a valuable opportunity to deepen her understanding of the law of the sea.

Her work involved researching dispute settlement and reviewing international climate litigation cases, giving her first-hand insight into how international law is applied in practice.

‘The case-based learning approach was something I became accustomed to while studying in Australia, and it has proven to be very useful at ITLOS. Analysing cases one by one helps us better understand how states utilise the law to strengthen their arguments,’ she elaborated.

At ITLOS, Feby also pursued her own research project examining the impact of the ITLOS Advisory Opinion on the development of offshore wind farms in Indonesia.

Her UOW connections continued to support her professional development. Her former supervisors later invited her to contribute to a research project examining maritime safety and security in offshore wind farm development across the Asia-Pacific region. Feby’s role focuses on analysing ASEAN countries' capacity to safeguard maritime security.

The research was published by La Trobe University’s Blue Security Program in November 2025 under the title ‘Securing the blue energy future: offshore wind and the protection of critical infrastructure at sea in Southeast Asia and Australia’.

Her growing expertise has also opened opportunities to share her knowledge internationally. In 2025 and 2026, she was invited to serve as a training lecturer at the Philippine International Law of the Sea Academy, where she delivered a lecture on the legal regime of the high seas and the Area.

She also served as rapporteur at the 48th Annual Conference on Oceans Law & Policy in India in September 2025.

‘I think being from UOW makes people more willing to trust my academic foundation in this field. That reputation does not automatically create opportunities, but it gives credibility to what I have learned and what I can contribute,’ Feby said.

Turning Experience into Community Impact

Feby’s determination to learn is rooted in her own experience. Growing up in a family with modest financial means, she sold food to help complete high school and later provided tutoring services to support her university studies at UNILA.

In the community where she grew up, pursuing higher education was not always seen as the expected path for young women.

‘I want to encourage others to keep learning, because education is the key to building a better life,’ she said.

Today, Feby is continuing to build her expertise while working towards her aspiration of becoming a lecturer. As a Legal Consultant with the Indonesia Ocean Justice Initiative (IOJI), she works on the implementation of the Agreement on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement) in Indonesia, with a particular focus on the rights and participation of Indigenous Peoples and local communities in ocean governance.

Her work increasingly brings together research, policy and community perspectives. In June 2026, she represented IOJI as a speaker at World Oceans Day 2026, discussing the relationship between coastal communities, including Indigenous Peoples and ocean health.

In July 2026, she spoke at the Regional Marine Protected Areas Workshop in Jakarta, where maritime officials and experts from across Southeast Asia discussed regional cooperation on the marine environment.

Through these experiences, Feby has developed a broader understanding of what meaningful change requires: rigorous research, collaboration across disciplines and cultures, and an awareness of the communities affected by policy decisions.

Her journey from a local beach clean-up initiative in Lampung to international institutions and regional policy discussions has not followed a straight path. Each challenge has instead prompted her to learn, adapt and find new ways to contribute.