ASDP Ensures Smooth Ferry Services During Return Flow
The return flow for Lebaran 2026 from Sumatra to Java began showing a significant increase since H-Day on Sunday, 22 March 2026. Activity at Bakauheni Port is increasingly busy, both for foot passengers and vehicles, as the long holiday period ends.
PT ASDP Indonesia Ferry projects that the peak return flow will occur on Tuesday, 24 March 2026, and Wednesday, 25 March 2026. Despite the surge in traffic, ferry services continue to run smoothly, orderly, and under control thanks to operational readiness and cross-agency coordination.
ASDP’s President Director, Heru Widodo, stated that the current increase in traffic is an early indicator of the return flow phase beginning. “This rising movement signals that the return flow trend is underway. We continue to ensure service readiness, both operationally and in facilities, to anticipate the peak period surge,” he said.
From an operational perspective, the General Manager of ASDP’s Bakauheni Branch, Partogi Tamba, assured that services are running optimally with the implementation of adaptive traffic control scenarios. Foot passengers and vehicles in groups I to VIA are served through Bakauheni Port, while vehicles in groups IVB to VIB are diverted through BBJ Muara Pilu Port.
Logistics vehicles with operational restrictions are directed to wait in buffer zones and several toll rest areas to maintain smooth traffic flow. “Vehicle flow is still within service capacity limits. The arrival pattern is fairly even, so ship loading and unloading processes proceed quickly without significant obstacles,” he explained.
Dock service management is also conducted flexibly through a multi-dock scheme to keep the distribution of passengers and vehicles even amid rising volumes.
ASDP’s Corporate Secretary, Windy Andale, urged the public to plan their journeys well. “Ensure you purchase tickets through Ferizy before arriving at the port. Currently, there are no ticket sales at the port, so all service users must make independent purchases through official channels,” she stressed.
Based on data from the Bakauheni Post during the 24 hours on H-Day, there were 146 ship trips with a total of 51,751 passengers, an increase of 30.5 percent compared to last year. The number of vehicles reached 14,094 units, up 45.3 percent, with the highest surge in motorcycles at 59.4 percent.
Cumulatively from H-10 to H-Day, the total passengers from Sumatra to Java reached 480,613 people, an increase of 5.8 percent, with 102,031 vehicles, growing 11.5 percent. Meanwhile, the flow from Java to Sumatra experienced a slight decline on Sunday, though cumulatively it still shows a positive trend.
On the other hand, Minister of Transportation Dudy Purwagandhi emphasised the importance of adaptive and responsive return flow management to field dynamics, including service capacity optimisation and buffer zone strengthening.
With operational readiness, service digitalisation through Ferizy, and synergy among stakeholders, the return flow on the Sumatra-Java route is expected to remain smooth, safe, and controlled until the peak period passes.