Bakauheni Port Crowded With Vehicles Ahead Of The Christmas-New Year Holiday

The atmosphere at the port of Bakauheni Executive Pier is crowded with four-wheeled riders. (ANTARA/Riadi Gunawan)

SOUTH LAMPUNG - Crossing activity at Bakauheni Port, South Lampung, began to be crowded with hundreds of four-wheeled vehicles bound to go to Merak Port, Banten on D-5 Christmas 2023 and New Year's 2024.

Based on Antara's observation at the location, there are hundreds of four-wheeled vehicles crowding the executive and regular piers as well as the entry and exit of vehicle checks at Bakauheni Port.

Hundreds of these four-wheeled vehicles crowded Bakauheni Port to wait for queues to enter the port area and ship. The four-wheeled vehicle at Bakauheni Port was monitored from 13.00-16.00 WIB showing conditions that were busy smoothly.

The vehicle is dominated by the plates of Sumatra BE, BM, BK, BG, but also look at Javanese regional plates such as B, A, and D.

Although there is a density of four-wheeled vehicles in the parking pockets of executive and regular piers, it does not cause long traffic jams and looks like it is running smoothly and safely.

One of the drivers from Bukit Tinggi, West Sumatra, Zen, admitted that he had been waiting in line for three hours to get on the ship.

"Just waiting a little longer to get into the ship for three hours, sir, yes, his name has also entered the Christmas and New Year holidays like this, it must be crowded," said Zen, Wednesday, December 20.

Then Suher from Lampung, said that he had difficulty with new regulations regarding ticket purchases within a five-kilometer radius.

"Yes, I was turned back because I don't know yet, sir, if there is a new rule, I have to buy a ticket outside the port area," said Suher.

PT ASDP Indonesia Ferry (Persero) has imposed a new provision for purchasing online tickets for ferries starting December 11, 2023. This provision applies to Bakauheni Port, Merak Port, Ketapang Port, and Gilimanuk Port.

The new provision is that the ferry ticket booking can be made up to a maximum radius of five kilometers before the port, which is stipulated in the Letter of the Director General of Hubdat AP.406/1/5/DJPD/2023 regarding the Arrangement of Electronic Ticket Ordering Services around the Port.