Frequent Maritime Transport Users, East Java Drivers Demand Evaluation After Sinking of KM Virgo Transport 8
Drivers belonging to the East Java Drivers’ Movement (Gerakan Sopir Jawa Timur, GSJT) have urged all shipping operators to thoroughly evaluate the vessels serving inter-island routes, following the sinking of KM Virgo Transport 8 in the Java Sea.
GSJT coordinator Supriyono, speaking to reporters at the Gapura Surya Nusantara (GSN) terminal on Tuesday (15/9), said the evaluation was deemed necessary to provide a sense of safety and comfort for passengers, including drivers.
“Drivers frequently travel between islands carrying goods with their trucks, so they need to feel safe during the journey. The only way to achieve this is through an evaluation,” he said.
Supriyono judged that this maritime tragedy could not be regarded as an ordinary incident and that shipping operators must undertake improvements.
“This must become a joint evaluation, especially with the shipowners. In the past three months, incidents like this have happened repeatedly, and once again we logistics drivers are the victims,” he said.
According to Supriyono, the losses suffered by drivers are not limited to losing their vehicles and cargo; they also risk their lives in order to carry out their work.
“It is not only material losses that we sacrifice, but also our lives, just to make deliveries in various places that today serve as their field of business,” he said.
GSJT has recorded 11 drivers and truck assistants from East Java still missing following the KMP Virgo 8 incident. The figure was compiled from 92 driver communities and cross-checked against the ship’s passenger manifest.
“We have 11 people according to the data we received from 92 communities across East Java, and we have verified this against the manifest showing they were on board the Virgo,” said Supriyono.
He said the organisation would continue coordinating with Basarnas, the national search and rescue agency, to monitor the progress of the search operation. GSJT is also in intensive communication with fellow drivers in Banjarmasin who are helping to monitor the condition of the victims.
Regarding next steps, GSJT is demanding that the evaluation target not only ship operators but also the supervision of ferry fleets.
“Fix the facilities, fix the fleet. Do not simply take the profits, because we as users feel disadvantaged,” he asserted.
Supriyono expressed hope that oversight of vessel conditions, the periodic docking process and the responsibilities of ship captains would all be tightened.