Anticipating Nataru Reverse Flow, Minister of Transportation Dudy Requests Additional Ships at Gilimanuk

Minister of Transportation Dudy Purwagandhi. (Photo: ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Minister of Transportation (Menhub) Dudy Purwagandhi warned the Gilimanuk Port and Port Authority (KSOP) and PT ASDP Indonesia Ferry to anticipate the surge in the return flow of people after the 2025 Christmas and New Year holidays (Nataru).

Dudy admitted that he received a report of an increase in the movement of people using the crossing service on the Gilimanuk-Ketapang route. The information was received after he reviewed the Gilimanuk Port, Bali.

"I remind my friends in Gilimanuk to anticipate the return because if we only have time from January 1 to 4 (January). If yesterday on January 1 and 4 I reported that certain conditions, the number of ships was added," said Dudy in a Nataru Transportation press conference, in Jakarta, Wednesday, December 31.

In normal conditions, Dudy continued, the Gilimanuk Port operates around 28 ships. However, when the density increases, the number of ships can be increased to 30 to 32 units. However, Dudy asked that optimization not stop at that number.

"Then there were about 50 ships there, if I'm not mistaken, 50 or 52 ships, I asked for it to be used so that the rounds could be faster. From our experience, both in Merak and before, the key to the crossing is in the rounds," he said.

Apart from density factors, Dudy emphasized that safety aspects remain the top priority in the implementation of Nataru transportation. He reminded all officers and operators to be aware of the potential for extreme weather that can occur suddenly.

"We remind officers and the public to be alert to extreme weather. Make sure the ship is really seaworthy and weather information from BMKG must continue to be updated to the public," said Dudy.

Meanwhile, PT ASDP Indonesia Ferry (Persero) ensured the readiness of the Gilimanuk-Ketapang crossing service in facing the Nataru movement flow.

Various proactive steps are being prepared to maintain the smoothness, safety, and comfort of service users, along with the dynamics of traffic that continue to be intensively monitored during the Nataru period, both on the outbound and return flows.

Senior General Manager Regional III ASDP, Capt. Luthfi Adi Subarkah conveyed operational readiness was also supported by the availability of adequate fleet and port infrastructure.

"On the Ketapang-Gilimanuk crossing, the number of ships ready for operation (standby) is 55 units and 17 pier units in Ketapang and Gilimanuk, equipped with buffer zones and delaying systems to anticipate fluctuations in vehicle density," he said.

In addition to coordinating with regulators and related working partners, Luthfi said that a scenario of a flexible ship operation pattern according to the level of density had also been prepared, ranging from normal conditions to very dense.

At peak conditions, the carrying capacity can be optimized through the operation of up to 32 ships with the support of the Bulusan alternative pier and time-based berthing (TBB) patterns to speed up the vehicle loading and unloading process.

In terms of production performance, continued Luthfi, the data from the Nataru 2025 Post showed that the crossing movement on the Gilimanuk-Ketapang route was still under control.

Until the period of H-10 to H+2 Christmas, the realization of crossings from the Gilimanuk Port was recorded as many as 83,146 units of vehicles or grew by around 5 percent compared to the same period last year, with a total of 283,127 passengers. Meanwhile, from Ketapang Port, 81,916 units of vehicles were recorded with a total of 302,181 passengers.

"Cumulatively, the total number of vehicles served on both lanes reached more than 165,000 units with passenger movements of around 585,000 people, reflecting the high mobility of the community during the year-end holidays," he said.

In addition to the readiness of facilities and infrastructure, ASDP also strengthens coordination across agencies involved in the Nataru Post, including the police, BPTD, KSOP, and local governments.

The monitoring of Ferizy ticket reservation data is carried out periodically and in real time to ensure that traffic distribution is balanced and allows for quick decision-making when there is an increase in density.

"Our main focus is safety and service smoothness. With the support of operational personnel, port facilities, and the synergy of all stakeholders, we are optimistic that the Gilimanuk-Ketapang crossing service during Nataru can run safely, orderly, and under control," said Luthfi.