Bakamla is a non-ministerial government institution which reports directly to the President through Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs.

President Joko Widodo officially announced the establishment of Bakamla to coincide with the 2014 Nusantara Day celebration held in Kotabaru, South Kalimantan.

[4] Bakamla is not associated with the Indonesian Sea and Coast Guard Unit (Kesatuan Penjagaan Laut dan Pantai Republik Indonesia - KPLP).

KEP.05 / Menko / Polkam / 2/2003, of establishment of a working group Development Planning security and Law Enforcement at Sea.

32 Year 2014 concerning the Marine, Bakorkamla officially renamed the Maritime Security Agency or Badan Kemananan Laut (Bakamla).

In March 2022, the government issue new regulation to designate Bakamla as coordinating body for all maritime law enforcement agencies.

This designation has led to legal conflicts between KPLP and Bakamla, the latter having already used the title "Indonesian Coast Guard" despite lacking formal recognition.

The academy is located within the area of Naval Doctrine, Education, and Training Development Command (Kodiklatal), Bumimoro, Surabaya.

AKKL is paramilitary academy and its graduates will get diploma certificate, the establishment of AAKL is due to cooperation between Bakamla and the Navy.

The requirements to become AKKL cadets are as followse: male with age 22 years or below, high school graduate, physically and mentally fit, proven to have good behaviour and passed the selection test.