Low Tide Makes It Difficult for Ships to Dock at Gilimanuk, Causing a 1.5km Vehicle Queue

Low sea levels made it difficult for vessels to dock and load or unload at the LCM Pier at Gilimanuk Port, Jembrana regency, Bali, on Wednesday (28 October 2026). As a result, vehicles waiting to cross formed a queue stretching about 1.5 kilometres.

Bintang Felfian, public relations manager at state-owned ferry operator PT ASDP Indonesia Ferry’s Ketapang branch, confirmed the situation. He said the queue had continued to grow since the tide receded in the early hours.

“Yes, we have been informed that the sea level fell, making it difficult for vessels to load and unload at the LCM pier from the early hours,” Bintang told detikBali on Wednesday.

The disruption at the pier, often called the sloping pier, began at 4am Central Indonesian Time. The low tide left a gap between the vessels’ ramp doors and the pier, preventing them from docking. They had to wait for the tide to rise until the water reached the edge of the pier.

“At 10am, the queue had stretched back as far as the front of Gilimanuk Church, or about 1.5 kilometres. But this afternoon the tide has started to come in and the queue is beginning to clear,” Bintang said.