The sea territory of the Republic of Indonesia covers approximately 5,8 million km² or about 75 % of the total area. The sea territory consists of territorial water 0,8 million km², contiguous zone 2,3 million km² and eez area 2,7 million km². the strategic geographical position of Indonesian, has three Indonesian archipelego sea lanes they are, Malacca Strait, Lombok Strait and Sunda Strait

Sovereignty and sovereignty right of the state against sea is a state right to execute regulation, control, protection and manage the sea to protect national interest at sea. That is why a comprehensive and integrated agenda for the security of the Indonesian sea is a mandatory.

Indonesian Maritime Security Coordinating Board at the beginning was established in 1972 through a joint decision among Minister of Defence / Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, Minister of Communication, Minister of Finance, Minister of Justice and Attorney General no : K E P / B / 45 / X I I / 1 9 7 2 ; 3 K / 9 0 1 / M / 1 9 72 ; KEP.779 / MK / III / 12 / 1972; J.S.8 / 72 / 1; KEP / 085 / J.A / 12 / 1972 about the Establishment of Indonesian Maritime Security Coordinating Board and Command for Security joint operation executor at sea.

The change of government system and strategic environment development at present needs the rearrangement of the Indonesian Maritime Security Coordinating Board in the frame work of enhancing coordination among various government institutions in the field of sea security.

The idea about the need of rearrangement of Indonesian Maritime Security Coordinating Board to replace the board that was established earlier (1972), in 2003 through decision of Coordinating Minister for Political and Security affairs no : KEP 05 / MENKO / POLKAM / 2 / 2003, a working group was formed for planning security development and law enforcement at sea. Through a series of seminars and cross sectoral coordinated meetings, finally on 29 December 2005 it was Decided Through Presidential Regulation No. 81 Year 2005 about Maritime Security Coordinating Board ( MSCB ) as the legal basis of our present organization.