Eid al-Fitr 2023, Merak Port Parking Lot Can Accommodate 1,000 Cars

Merak Crossing Port, Banten. (Between-Weli Ayu R)

JAKARTA - The parking capacity of Merak Port, Banten, was increased during the 2023 Lebaran homecoming. As many as 1,000 four-wheeled vehicles will certainly be accommodated.

Corporate Secretary of PT ASDP Indonesia Ferry (Persero), Shelvy Arifin said, his party had made a thorough repair so that the Eid 2023 transportation activities could run smoothly, safely and comfortably.

"One of the improvements we have made is to increase the capacity of the vehicle parking lot to reduce congestion at Merak Port", she said in a statement, Friday April 14, confiscated by Antara.

According to her, during Eid 2022 transport, Merak Port can only accommodate 4,526 small vehicles, but in this Eid 2023 its capacity has been increased to 5,526 small vehicles.

The addition of this parking area was carried out through the purchase of new land, demolition of the Merak Branch Office, conversion of the regular passenger dropzone land into a parking area, relocation of the Port Area Police (KSKP) land, and relocation of the workshop_ASDP for access.

In addition, ASDP has also made improvements to infrastructure and other facilities at the Port of Merak.

"We have completed paving the land for expanding access to the port and fabricating garbarata for the 2nd executive service. Then, construction of the access bridge connecting the Executive Terminal to Pier 1, arrangement of the passage from the Merak Integrated Terminal (TTM) to the Regular Terminal, as well as renovating the space waiting and pedestrian corridors for Pier 1 have also been realized on April 11, 2023", she said.

She added that all of these increases were a follow-up to a limited meeting chaired by President Joko Widodo on May 24, 2022 to evaluate the 2022 Eid transportation.

In anticipating the occurrence of queues at the 2023 Eid Transport, the Government is also concentrating services for all 2-wheeled vehicles and class VI B trucks to be diverted to Ciwandan Port from April 15-21, 2023.

President Jokowi also appreciated the increase in service capacity through the addition of port operations, namely at the BBJ Port and Ciwandan Port.

Two-wheeled riders can cross by taking the Ciwandan-Bakauheni route on April 15-21, 2023 plus the Ciwandan-Panjang route for April 19-21 2023. As for VB class trucks, crossing services from Ports

Merak will only be served on April 15-17, 2023. So those who wish to cross from April 18-21 will be diverted to Ciwandan Port.

Meanwhile, trucks from class VII to class IX will be served through the Port of Bandar Bakau Jaya (BBJ) from April 15-21, 2023.

The number of ships operating at the auxiliary port includes 11 RoRo Ships, 2 ALP Ships, and 1 Pelni Ship at the Port of BBJ, while at the BBJ Port there are 5 ships.

She added, users of ferry crossing services, especially on the Merak-Bakauheni and Ketapang-Gilimanuk routes, are required to buy Eid tickets starting now, because tickets can already be ordered through the Ferizy application and website from D-60 before departure.

"We remind you again that purchasing tickets through the official Ferizy application no later than H-1 before the departure date, because there are no more ticket sales in the port area", she said.

ASDP also carries out intensive coordination with various relevant stakeholders such as the Ministry of Transportation, the police, the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing, the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment, and the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture to improve coordination in improving services at the Port of Merak, one of which is by provide the latest updates regarding the development of the homecoming flow in 2023.