Merak Port Requires Additional Berths to Address Capacity Constraints

The limited number of berths at Merak Port is considered a serious problem affecting the smooth flow of ferry traffic to Bakauheni Port, particularly during the Lebaran holiday season.

Although the number of available vessels continues to grow, most cannot be operated due to insufficient docking facilities. Bambang Haryo Soekartono, a member of Commission VII of the Indonesian House of Representatives, has called on the government to urgently increase the number of berths at Merak Port to resolve the capacity constraints affecting ferry operations.

According to Soekartono, approximately 72 vessels are currently prepared to serve the Merak-Bakauheni route. However, of that total, only around 28 vessels can operate optimally due to berth limitations.

“Of the 72 available vessels, only 28 can operate across seven berths. Each berth can service approximately four vessels. This means around 44 vessels, or nearly 60% of available capacity, cannot be operated,” said Soekartono, who chairs the Advisory Board of the Indonesian Transport Society, at Merak Port in Cilegon, Banten.

This situation is considered particularly problematic during peak travel periods such as the Lebaran exodus and extended holidays. When public demand for transport increases, service capacity cannot be maximised. “During peak season, the public requires transport services, but vessels cannot operate due to berth limitations,” he noted.

Soekartono emphasised that the most urgent solution is to increase the number of berths at Merak Port. He called on the government to add at least three new berths to the current seven in the near term.

With these additions, vessel docking capacity could increase significantly. The three additional berths are estimated to accommodate approximately 12 additional vessels for simultaneous operation.

“If we add three berths, we could accommodate around 12 additional vessels. That represents approximately 50% of the total available transport capacity, which would make ferry operations considerably smoother,” he said.

He also highlighted that demand for ferry transport continues to increase, particularly for logistics transportation and tourism. Growth in logistics transport along the Merak-Bakauheni route is estimated to reach 10-12% annually.

According to Soekartono, if infrastructure expansion is not undertaken promptly, Merak Port’s capacity could become inadequate within the next few years to accommodate the surge in vehicles and logistics distribution along the route to Bakauheni Port.

“Therefore, adding berth infrastructure is an important step to ensure ferry service capacity can accommodate the anticipated increase in vehicle numbers over the next five years,” he concluded.