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)