As An Alternative For North Sumatra And West Sumatra Travelers, Batam-Dumai Route Is The Most Populous At Sekupang Feri Port

KEPRI - The manager of the Sekupang Batam Ferry Port said the Batam-Dumai crossing was the most congested route because the alternative route for travelers to North Sumatra (North Sumatra) and West Sumatra (West Sumatra) would continue their journey by land.

Sekupang Port Operations Controller Riyanto said the Sekupang Domestic Feri Port had been packed with travelers since 03.00 WIB, with the destination of Dumai City, Tanjung Balai Karimun, Selat Panjang, and other islands.

He explained that port operations were opened early in the morning to unravel the buildup of travelers and ensure ships that would travel long trips to the port before night, to anticipate changes in sea waves.

He conveyed that this year's homecoming will be the most populous in the last five years.

"This was triggered by the ticket price of a ferry that was more affordable than the plane. For example, the price of a Batam-Dumai ticket was IDR 550 thousand for one trip, and there was no increase in prices during the homecoming season," said Riyanto in Batam, Riau Islands (Kepri), Sunday, April 7, which was confiscated by Antara.

He also conveyed that the crossing to Dumai City was the most crowded, reaching 3,800 passengers.

"The crossing to Dumai City on a normal day only operates two ships with a maximum capacity of 380 people," he said.

According to Riyanto, although the number of travelers has increased dramatically, the queue process at the port is running smoothly because most of the travelers have bought tickets before the day of departure.

Previously, Riau Islands Governor Ansar Ahmad appealed to the public to go home early to avoid the density of travelers at the peak of Eid al-Fitr 1445 Hijri/2024 AD homecoming.

Ansar said that the flow of homecoming in Riau Islands this year is predicted to increase, considering that nationally the number of travelers is estimated to have increased by 56 percent or around 190 million people compared to the previous year.

"Therefore, those who have gone on holiday are advised to go home early, if possible, avoid going home on D-2 or D-1 Lebaran to anticipate the accumulation of passengers at ports and airports," said Ansar in Tanjungpinang.