Long delays expected along Java-Sumatra ferry route

Oyos Saroso H.N., The Jakarta Post, Bandarlampung

The Merak-Bakauheni ferry route connecting Java with Sumatra is still facing natural and technical hurdles, and authorities anticipate heavy congestion during Idul Fitri and Christmas.

Local authorities conceded that the natural, technical and security factors were expected to slow down millions of motorists and holidaymakers to and from Sumatra.

The chief of the local office of the Meteorology and Geophysics Agency (BMG), Bambang Setianto, told The Jakarta Post here on Friday that the ferries serving Merak in Banten and Bakauheni in South Lampung would certainly be affected by large waves due to expected storms which may include small cyclones in the next two months.

"The atmospheric temperature has risen to 39 degrees Celsius from 30 degrees. The climactic conditions will have adverse impacts on the Sunda Strait," he said.

"Ferries currently take around three hours to cover the Merak- Bakauheni route are expected to need between five and eight hours because of strong winds and big waves," he said.

Hasan Aldin, chief of the local branch of state-owned PT ASDP which oversees rivers, lakes and inter-island transportation in the country, said ASDP, in cooperation with local security authorities, had also enhanced security at ports after the arrest of Imam Samudra in Merak, one of the top suspects in the Oct. 12 Bali bombing.

"We had to hire security personnel from the local military and police to maintain security on all ferry trips to and from Bakauheni and all vehicles, cars and passengers are obliged to undergo thorough security checks, which have slowed the entire operation," he said

The operations manager of PT ASDP in Bakauheni, Suparsanyoto, said that besides the weather and security factors, the poor condition of most ferries plying the route also would contribute to the slow traffic along the strait.

"There are a total of 24 ferries plying the Bakauheni-Merak route but 60 percent of them, which were made in 1970s, no longer meet safety standards because we are unfortunately forced by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to adhere to their standards of safety," he complained.

"Nevertheless, we have no other alternative since the economic crisis and less money being appropriated to maintenance or purchase of new equipment. We have proposed several times to the government to replace the old ferries but so far, no response.

"Under the present conditions, a long queue of vehicles, both buses and trucks before and after Idul Fitri will be inevitable," he added.

He added that besides the 24 ferries, ASDP would also operate 15 speed boats in anticipation of a large increase in passengers.

Suparsanyoto said that ASDP had separated the ferries into two groups and established a special terminal for faster boats to help speed up the boarding process at the two seaports as well as to maintain a semblance of order.

Newer ferries will have their own ticketing procedures with separate schedules and terminals because they are able to make more trips per day than older ones, he said.

"Besides, ASDP will have more ticket booths to provide quicker service for passengers," he said.

Meanwhile, a team of engineers from the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) has recommended that the government build the so-called Nusantara Straits Tunnel between Merak and Bakauheni to cope with the transportation problems between Sumatra and Java.

Anshori Djausal who leads another team from Lampung University, said that according to ITB's team which has just completed their feasibility study, the tunnel project would cost some Rp 40 trillion, (US$4 billion) or 50 percent cheaper than the construction of a long bridge across the Sunda Strait.

He said the ITB team led by Kuntoro Mangkusubroto would be able to prepare the tunnel's design within three years, so that the project could be started in 2006.

"The design calls for vehicles to be transported by electric trains and can be designed to be resistant too strong earthquakes so that there will be no traffic congestion or accidents inside the tunnel," he said.

Asked about its financing, Anshori said the central government could coordinate with the Lampung and Banten administrations, state-owned companies PLN, PT Tambang Batubara, PT Telkom and offer shares to the public, instead of seeking loans from the IMF or the World Bank.