For more than 25 years PT Samudra Petrindo Asia (SPA) has delivered reliable and efficient shipping and transportation services to companies in the oil and gas industry in Indonesia. Acting alone and as a representative and local partner of several international companies, SPA has expanded its range of activities to include ship owning and chartering, offshore services and brokerage.

SPA commenced operations in 1981 as PT Samudra Petroleum, an oil trading enterprise. Liquid bulk shipping was added to the business, providing an adjunct to its oil trading activities as well as offering an independent service to the oil and has industry. In 1982, the company conducted its first shipping related business when it time chartered a 20,000 deadweight ton (DWT) product tanker.

In June 1983, the company added a shipping division to its organization and changed its name to PT Samudra Petrindo Asia to reflect its expanding base of activity throughout Asia. SPA's shipping business grew rapidly. by 1993, the company discontinued its oil trading endeavors in order to focus fully on its shipping and related activities.