ASDP Ketapang deploys 30 ferries to clear vehicle queues

PT ASDP Indonesia Ferry (Persero) Ketapang Branch in Banyuwangi, East Java, is operating between 28 and 30 ferry vessels daily to accelerate the handling of congestion and clear vehicle queues. General Manager of PT ASDP Indonesia Ferry Ketapang Branch Arief Eko Kurniansjah stated on Sunday that as a measure to speed up services, ASDP is deploying 28 to 30 ships each day, including support vessels at Bulusan Pier, LCM Pier, and Ponton Pier, to increase carrying capacity. “We have optimised all operational resources in the field to expedite the dispersal of vehicle queues at Ketapang Port,” he said. According to Arief, pier management is also adjusted based on vehicle characteristics, with private vehicles prioritised through MB I, MB II, MB III, and Ponton Piers. Meanwhile, large logistics vehicles or freight transport are served via MB IV Pier and LCM Pier to minimise conflicts and speed up the loading and unloading process. “In addition, we are implementing an arrive-unload-depart pattern to accelerate the sailing cycle. Together with all stakeholders, we are also conducting traffic management, vehicle grouping, and utilising the Bulusan Pier parking pocket so that queues can be gradually dispersed,” Arief said. On the land side, Arief noted that ASDP, together with the Banyuwangi Police Traffic Unit, has activated the Bulusan parking pocket as a buffer zone capable of accommodating around 400 logistics vehicles, with trucks class VI and above directed to enter the area as part of a delaying system until the pier is ready to receive new loads. “Small vehicles and private cars from the southern direction of Banyuwangi are diverted via the Ketapang Port ring road to reduce congestion on the arterial road leading to the port,” he said. Arief added that ASDP also continues to coordinate with the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) and relevant authorities to monitor weather developments and adjust operational patterns if necessary.