Strong Winds To Three Metres Seawaves Forced To Stop Traffic Ships Of Lombok-Sumbawa

One ferry docked at Kayangan Harbor, East Lombok Regency, West Nusa Tenggara. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

EAST LOMBOK - Ministry of Transportation (Kemenhub) through the Land Transportation Management Center (BPTD) Region XII Bali Province issued an announcement regarding the delay in the departure of the Lombok Island-Pototono crossing ship on Sumbawa Island, West Nusa Tenggara due to extreme weather conditions.

Chairman of the Association of River, Lake and Crossing Transportation Entrepreneurs (Gapasdap), Kayangan Iskandar, admitted that he had received a written letter from the BPTD Region XII of Bali Province regarding the delay in ship departures due to extreme weather conditions that endanger shipping safety.

"The postponement of ship departures will be carried out starting at 10.30 WITA until normal weather conditions return, but at 11.30 WITA, ships are allowed to depart," he said, quoted by Antara, Saturday, December 24.

He said information from the captain of the ship that sailed before the delay that the wind speed in the middle of the sea reached 40-50 knots and the sea wave height was about two to three meters.

This condition is dangerous for shipping safety because the wind speed is suitable for shipping, namely 20-25 knots and sea wave height of 0.5 to 1.5 meters.

"The condition of the waves in the middle of the sea is two to three meters. But when you approach the port it is relatively not too high," he said.

Iskandar said the number of ferries that have permits to operate on the Kayangan-Patutono track is 27 units. However, daily shipping is served as many as 10 units, the rest are waiting for the sailing schedule.

Meanwhile, in the official announcement of the BPTD Region XII Bali Province written to maintain shipping safety and security, it was conveyed to the nahkofas, operators who owned passenger motorboats departing from the Kayangan-Patotono track to postpone ship departures as of December 24, 2022 until the weather conditions improved again.

The delay in the departure of the Kayangan-Patotono crossover ship is based on Law Number 17 of 2008 concerning Shipping, and Regulation of the Minister of Transportation Number 28 of 2014 concerning the Issuance of Sailing Approval Letters (SPB).

In addition, it is based on weather information from the motor boat crossing Trimas Elisa at longitude 47 wind speeds reaching 25-30 knots and wave height up to 1.5 to 2 meters.