BHS highlights limitations of Merak port docks, urges capacity expansion
Serang (ANTARA) - Member of Commission VII of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Bambang Haryo Soekartono (BHS), has commended the smooth flow of Lebaran outbound and return travel in 2026 at Merak Port, Banten, but has also highlighted several issues, including the docks at this strategic Java-Sumatra crossing point.
“When the public engages in family visits or tourism, they require ferry transport to Sumatra. I see that it has been quite smooth from Java, and I appreciate the Ministry of Transportation, GAPASDAP, ASDP, and the Police for the success in handling the outbound travel. And I want to observe the return transport from Bakauheni,” BHS stated in an official remark received by media in Serang on Thursday.
Nevertheless, BHS revealed that there are still fundamental issues related to long vehicle queues at the port. He noted that one of the main causes is the limited number of docks, which prevents ships from operating optimally.
“I have had many discussions on why such long queues occur; at that time, not all ships could operate. Out of 72 ships, only 28 can be operated regularly, and 5 ships for operations at the emergency dock,” he said.
According to this Deputy Coordinator of the Gerindra Faction in Commission VII of the DPR RI, the limitation is triggered by the scarcity of available docks. Currently, Merak Port only has seven active regular docks.
“Because we lack docks. Currently, there are only 7 docks, where each dock operates 4 ships, meaning more than 60% of the fleet cannot be operated during dense situations like this,” BHS explained.
He emphasised the need for a comprehensive evaluation by the regulator regarding PT ASDP as the port facilitator and ferry operator. As the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Indonesian Transportation Society (MTI), BHS urged PT ASDP Indonesia Ferry, along with the Directorate General of Land Transportation and the Directorate General of Sea Transportation of the Ministry of Transportation, to take immediate concrete steps.
“This requires a fundamental evaluation from ASDP, the shipping company, especially the regulators of the Directorate General of Land and Sea Transportation of the Ministry of Transportation, to promptly anticipate the shipping company’s difficulties in operating, for example, by adding docks,” he stressed.
This alumnus of Naval Architecture at ITS Surabaya explained that adding docks would have a significant impact on ship operational capacity.
“One pair of docks alone can accommodate 4 ship units; if two pairs of docks, then it can handle 8 additional operating ships. Of course, this can increase the capacity from 28 ships by around 35% transport capacity,” BHS revealed.
Furthermore, he projected that consumer traffic on the ferry crossing would continue to rise each year, in line with the growth in ferry service users, which has seen an increase of 10% in vehicle users.
“If ASDP experiences an average annual increase of between 8-12%, then by the third or fourth year, it can anticipate vehicle surges,” he said.
In addition, BHS reminded of the potential vehicle surge due to the connection of the Sumatra toll road network, which will facilitate and accelerate public mobility to Java.
“Please remember, it is necessary to anticipate the acceleration due to the toll road once it is connected; this will certainly increase the number of public users of ferry transportation,” he said.
Besides that, BHS also emphasised that logistics transport must not be sacrificed in the arrangement of ferry flows.
“Logistics transport must not be sacrificed, because currently, as per information, logistics vehicles are stored in rest areas, roadside, up to dock parking pockets. And they can wait for days. If logistics are hindered, it is feared that trade and industry will also be hampered,” he stressed.
He warned of the subsequent impact if logistics distribution is disrupted, which would affect the multiplier economy due to goods shortages and emerging inflation that causes a decline in public purchasing power, influencing the economic growth targeted by the President of the Republic of Indonesia.
At the end of his statement, BHS urged that the evaluation be promptly realised through the construction of new, safe, and proper docks to replace the role of the currently suboptimal emergency dock.
Furthermore, BHS hopes that this evaluation will be quickly realised with the addition of docks and is expected to be implemented next year to anticipate the upcoming Lebaran. And this cannot be negotiated. Regarding the emergency dock, namely the Ciwandan Sea Dock, it is suboptimal, almost like an emergency crossing dock, and has minimal public service facilities, and as a bulk port handling coal, iron ore, and so on, it is very dangerous to health.
“This emergency dock cannot be tolerated continuously and should only be used for emergencies when regular docks are congested. And it cannot be used for long periods because it is not safe, comfortable, and secure. Therefore, the construction of additional regular docks must be carried out immediately so that congestion problems during every Lebaran holiday can be well resolved,” BHS concluded.