ASDP Padang Predicts Two Natural Route Surges During Lebaran Holiday

Padang — PT Angkutan Sungai, Danau dan Penyeberangan (ASDP) Indonesia Ferry (Persero) Padang Branch, West Sumatra, anticipates that the Padang-Siberut and Padang-Tua Pejat routes will experience passenger surges during the 2026 Lebaran holiday period.

“Usually these two routes are where we anticipate some increase during the 2026 Lebaran transport period,” said General Manager of PT ASDP Padang Hari Gunanto in Padang on Wednesday.

To address anticipated passenger and vehicle volume increases, as well as agricultural product shipments during the Idul Fitri 1447 Hijri holiday, PT ASDP has added two additional sailing routes. The expansion was coordinated and approved by the Land Transport Management Office.

As reference, during the 2025 Lebaran holiday period, specifically from H-10 to H+10, PT ASDP recorded 3,288 passengers in the region with a total of 39 trips. Additionally, ASDP transported 757 two-wheeled vehicles, four-wheeled vehicles and similar modes across KMP Gambolo and KMP Ambu Ambu.

To prevent passenger queuing, particularly during the anticipated surge periods, ASDP will optimise coordination with the Land Transport Management Office as the operator of Bungus Port.

Furthermore, the relevant agencies have prepared an online ticketing purchase scheme to reduce passenger queuing when boarding vessels. This measure is expected to accelerate administrative processing for passengers.

The general manager stated that online ticketing currently only serves the Padang-Tua Pejat route. Other routes are still operating offline or are in the development stage for online ticketing implementation. Offline ticket sales will be managed directly by the Land Transport Management Office.

“With online ticketing, the system ensures that whoever purchases first will receive the first queue number,” he explained.

Beyond this, ASDP is also intensifying socialisation of ship departure schedules, both from Padang to Mentawai Islands Regency and vice versa.

Finally, the company emphasised that should passenger surges or queuing occur at ASDP ports, both ASDP and the Land Transport Management Office will dispatch vessels according to their capacity.

“Ship capacity is our primary priority, with safety being paramount, and vessels must not exceed their load limits,” he stated.