ASDP Baubau Records 17 Percent Passenger Increase During 2026 Eid Exodus

Kendari, Southeast Sulawesi (ANTARA) - PT ASDP Indonesia Ferry (Persero) Baubau Branch, Southeast Sulawesi (Sultra), recorded positive growth in the number of passengers and vehicles during the 2026 Eid al-Fitr homecoming period. General Manager of the ASDP Baubau Branch, Zullivan Ramadhana Miraza, when met in Baubau, Sultra, on Tuesday, stated that the number of passengers during the 14-20 March 2026 period reached more than 20,000 people, or an increase of 17 percent compared to last year. “There was also a significant increase in the vehicle sector, where two-wheeled vehicles grew by 23 percent to 15,000 units and four-wheeled vehicles rose by 22 percent to 4,600 units,” he said. He explained that this increase was supported by management’s strategic steps in optimising trip schedules and fleet effectiveness. One of them was the diversion of KMP Bahteramas II to the Labuan-Amolengo route, which boosted production by up to 73 percent. In addition, ASDP also implemented 24-hour operational services on the commercial Tampo-Torobulu route to accommodate the high demand from service users. “This strategy has proven to contribute to an average increase of 12 percent,” he stated. Zullivan emphasised that the 24-hour operational policy and fleet diversion will continue to be implemented to anticipate surges during the return flow period. “KMP Bahteramas II will remain operated on the Labuan-Amolengo route until H+5 Eid before returning to the pioneering Kamaru-Wanci route. The 24-hour service on Tampo-Torobulu will also continue until the end of the Eid transportation period,” explained Zullivan. He also expressed appreciation for the full support from provincial and regional stakeholders that helped the smooth flow of this year’s homecoming. “Management is committed to continuously improving service quality by prioritising aspects of safety, security, and comfort for service users, especially during high mobility periods such as the Eid holiday,” added Zullivan.