Exodus Passengers Crossing from Java to Sumatra Predicted to Rise 10 Per Cent

PT ASDP Indonesia Ferry (Persero) predicts that the number of exodus passengers using ferry services will increase by approximately 9–10 per cent during the 1447 Hijri Eid celebration compared to the previous year. The increase will affect both the number of passengers and vehicles crossing.

The Director of Operations and Transformation at PT ASDP Indonesia Ferry, Rio Lasse, predicted that 5.7 million passengers will use ferry services during this exodus period. Of this figure, approximately 1.3 million passengers and 1.3 million vehicles are estimated to use the main ferry route connecting Java and Sumatra, namely the Merak Port–Bakauheni Port route.

“So overall, there is a 9–10 per cent increase in both passengers and vehicles compared to last year,” he stated during a media discussion at ASDP’s head office in Jakarta on Thursday (12 March 2026).

According to Rio, the company has prepared several anticipatory measures to address this surge. One of these is the preparation of a total of 70 vessels serving Java–Sumatra connectivity, with 50 vessels focused on serving the Merak–Bakauheni crossing.

In addition to expanding its fleet, ASDP is also broadening operational schemes by utilising several alternative ports to ease the congestion of exodus passengers. Several ports being optimised include Ciwandan Port, Bandar Bakau Jaya Bojonegara, and Krakatau Bandar Samudera, which are connected to Panjang Port in Lampung.