Crossing Was Stopped Due To Bad Weather, Merak-Bakauheni Port Is Back To Normal

Susana at Bakauheni Port after being covered due to extreme weather (ANTARA/HO)

LAMPUNG - General Manager of PT ASDP Indonesia Ferry Bakauheni Branch Suharto said the ferry services for the Bakauheni-Merak crossing after the bad weather had returned to normal so that all the vehicles that had piled up at the port had crossed the Sunda Strait since early Friday morning.

"Last night there was a queue of vehicles, but after the Merak Port was opened again, all of them were immediately transported", Suharto said as reported by ANTARA, Friday, December 23.

The bad weather and strong winds that occurred at the Port of Merak, Banten, were quite disturbing and endangered ships for the loading and unloading process, while at the Port of Bakauheni it was not as extreme as that of Merak.

"The Bakauheni Port is not as extreme as the Merak Port, but we are adapting to the conditions there", he said.

After being temporarily closed, the Land Transportation Management Agency (BPTD) opened the Sunda Strait voyage again, which allows ships to pass through the Sunda Strait after the weather is declared normal.

"It has been reopened and normal starting at 01.30 WIB in the morning", he said.

Previously, PT. ASDP Indonesia Ferry (Persero) Bakauheni Branch, South Lampung, decided to temporarily stop shipping activities due to bad weather, Thursday, December 22.

General Manager of PT ASDP Indonesia Ferry (Persero) Suharto said, based on the weather forecast from the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) issued on Thursday night, the weather at 19.00 WIB was not conducive for sailing.

"That resulted in high waves and strong winds at several crossing routes", said Suharto.