10-km jam at Bakauheni port

10-km jam at Bakauheni port

BAKAUHENI, Lampung: A 10-km traffic jam at Bakauheni port
blocked the ferry crossing between Sumatra and Java yesterday.

Thousands of vehicles, mainly trucks, had to wait for days to
get the ferry across the Sunda strait to reach Merak, at the west
end of Java. Priority is given to buses, private cars and trucks
carrying perishable food, the Antara news agency reported
yesterday.

Waiting for the ferry service were over 5,000 trucks, which
included 3,000 parked in the port's overcrowded parking lot.

The 10-km jam started Friday evening. The 14 ferries make 40
round trips and carry 3,000 vehicles per day.

Many drivers complained that port officers charged them with
illegal levies. "They take the opportunity to collect illegal
levies," many truck drivers told the news agency. They said each
of them had to pay Rp 50,000 ($ 21.3). (16)