ASDP CEO Assures Smooth Return Services During Second Wave of Lebaran Travel
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The President Director of PT ASDP Indonesia Ferry (Persero), Heru Widodo, has emphasised that services for the Lebaran 1447 Hijriah return flow during the second wave from Sumatra to Java remain fully prepared, encompassing passenger services and fleet optimisation throughout the period.
“Even though there has been an increase in traffic during the return flow, services remain in prime condition,” Heru stated in his remarks in Jakarta on Sunday.
He noted that the Lebaran 2026 transport return flow shows a more controlled trend, with the majority of travellers having returned to Java island.
Cumulatively, up to H+6 Lebaran, ASDP recorded 651,195 passengers, or about 72 percent, having returned to Java out of a total of 898,864 who departed during the outbound flow (H-10 to H+6 Lebaran).
Meanwhile, the number of vehicles that have returned stands at 169,385 units, or about 71 percent of the total 239,920 vehicles that crossed from Java to Sumatra during the outbound period.
According to him, this achievement reflects effective management of the return flow, supported by solid cross-sectoral coordination to maintain the smoothness, safety, and comfort of public travel.
Heru also expressed appreciation for the close collaboration among all stakeholders, from the Ministry of Transportation, TNI-Polri, local governments, to all related parties on the ground who have maintained and supported optimal operational smoothness throughout the outbound and return periods.
He also appreciated the compliance of all ferry passengers in avoiding travel during the peak outbound and return flows.
“The return flow has indeed increased, but services continue to run smoothly and evenly. This is the result of collective efforts by all stakeholders to ensure safe travel and a comfortable Eid,” he said.
He added that, specifically for the Java-Bali route, the return flow is also well-distributed. Approximately 51 percent of travellers, totalling 267,968 passengers and 83,357 vehicles, have returned from Bali to Java.
“Meanwhile, the remaining 49 percent will undertake their return journeys in the coming days, thus requiring joint attention for future traffic distribution management,” he stated.
Furthermore, based on data from the Bakauheni Post as of 28 March 2026 from 00:00 to 14:00 WIB, the total passengers from Sumatra to Java from H-10 to H+6 Lebaran reached 1,085,745 people, an increase of 2.1 percent compared to last year. The total vehicles recorded were 259,776 units, up 4 percent from the previous year.
Conversely, movements from Java to Sumatra recorded 1,241,356 passengers, up 2.5 percent, with a total of 314,209 vehicles, growing 6.7 percent.
During that period, ASDP operated 28-33 ships per day on the Merak-Bakauheni route, implementing an arrive-unload-depart (TBB) pattern during surges, and deploying 1,926 combined personnel at Merak and Bakauheni to ensure services remain under control.
ASDP Corporate Secretary Windy Andale added that the implementation of stimulus policies such as fare discounts and single tariffs has proven effective in distributing traffic more evenly.
“We also appreciate the public for orderly purchasing tickets through Ferizy, arriving on schedule, and filling in data correctly, thereby supporting overall service smoothness,” Windy said.
The Ministry of Transportation stated that the peak of the second wave return flow occurred on Saturday, 28 March 2026, to Sunday, 29 March 2026.