JAKARTA - The government has strengthened traffic flow control and crossing services on the Merak-Bakauheni track ahead of the peak Christmas 2025 and New Year 2026 (Nataru) flows.
Weather factors are one of the main challenges amid the surge in community mobility.
The strengthening of the flow control was discussed in a coordination meeting and field visit led by Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture (Menko PMK) Pratikno at the Merak Port, Banten, Monday, December 22.
Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Pratikno emphasized that Merak-Bakauheni is a vital route that must be maintained for its smoothness and safety, especially with the potential for extreme weather.
"The Merak-Bakauheni route is a vital route. We want people who go home, visit relatives, and travel to feel the services that have been prepared thoroughly and coordinated," said Pratikno in an official statement, Monday, December 22.
Based on a survey by the Ministry of Transportation, more than 100 million people are estimated to travel during Nataru. With this projection, the implementation of transportation that is adaptive to weather dynamics is crucial.
"With such a large mobilization projection, the implementation of safe and adaptive transportation to extreme weather is a crucial need," said Pratikno.
For information, BMKG predicts the influence of cyclone 93S in the southern Indian Ocean of East Java, with a maximum wind speed of 20 knots and a minimum air pressure of 1005 hPa. Its indirect impact has the potential to cause moderate to heavy rain in Banten, Central Java, DI Yogyakarta, East Java, Bali, and West Nusa Tenggara.
As a precautionary measure, Deputy President Director of ASDP Yossianis Marciano said that his party together with the police implemented a traffic control scheme, including a delaying system at strategic points such as KM 34 and KM 68.
"This effort is designed to maintain shipping safety and disperse congestion if there are operational restrictions due to weather," he said.
In addition, Yossianis said the management had prepared a parking lot with a capacity of around 4,979 mixed vehicles in the Merak port area covering an area of 24.6 hectares.
To support community mobilization, ASDP also provides a discount stimulus of up to 19 percent at eight crossing lanes as well as providing refund and reschedule facilities through the Ferizy platform to provide flexibility to service users.
"As an inter-island link, we are committed to providing the best service with safety as the main priority," he said.
Based on data from the Merak Post (Merak Port, Ciwandan, and BBJ Bojonegoro) during H-4 (December 21, 2025 at 00.00 to 23.59 WIB), 128 ship trips were recorded.
The total number of passengers from Java to Sumatra reached 35,954 people, down 23.3 percent compared to the same period last year. The total number of vehicles was recorded at 8,905 units, or down 21.5 percent, with a decline in two-wheel, four-wheel, truck, and bus vehicles.
Meanwhile, the Bakauheni Post noted on Sunday (21 December 2025) or H-4 there were 109 ship trips operating to serve a total of 36,517 passengers from Sumatra to Java or an increase of 12.8 percent compared to last year. The total vehicles crossing reached 8,392 units, an increase of 13 percent, driven by an increase in two-wheel, four-wheel, truck, and bus.
Then, the total number of passengers crossing from Java to Sumatra from Merak Port, Ciwandan, BBJ Bojonegoro from H-10 to H-4 was recorded at 219,535 people or down 4 percent compared to the realization of the same period last year of 228,694 people.
Meanwhile, the total number of vehicles that have crossed the border is recorded at 56,233 units or down 0.2 percent compared to the realization of the same period last year of 56,343 units.
Meanwhile, the total number of passengers crossing from Sumatra to Java (Bakauheni Port, Wika Beton, and BBJ Muara Pilu) on H-10 to H-4 was recorded at 210,649 people or down 1.1 percent compared to the same period last year of 212,931 people.
Then, for the total vehicles that have crossed the border, 53,460 units were recorded or an increase of 4.4 percent compared to the realization of the same period last year of 51,222 units.
"Cumulatively, passenger and vehicle movements are still within the controlled limit, reflecting the effectiveness of cross-sector coordination," said Yossianis.
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