Ministry of Transport Implements Delaying System and Port Division to Manage Surge at Merak and Bakauheni Ports

JAKARTA – The Ministry of Transport is preparing several strategies to anticipate a surge of vehicles at Merak and Bakauheni ports during the 2026 Eid holiday exodus period.

The Director General of Land Transport at the Ministry of Transport, Aan Suhanan, stated that Merak Port is a critical transportation hub in the national homecoming flow.

The management of the port is an indicator of smooth public mobility during each holiday season.

“Merak is a critical point and a benchmark for the success of managing Eid transport from year to year, so mismanagement at this port will disrupt road traffic flow and cause congestion,” said Aan in an official statement on Thursday (12 March 2026).

The system aims to slow the arrival of vehicles at the port when the port’s capacity begins to reach full capacity.

The Ministry of Transport has determined several locations for implementing the delaying system on toll roads and arterial routes.

“This delaying system strategy is to slow arrivals at the port if the port is already overloaded, and we have designated several locations such as on toll roads and arterial roads. From the Merak side on toll roads there are at KM 13A, 43A, and 68A, while on arterial roads at Cikuasa Atas and JLS Ciwandan or the Munic parking area,” said Aan.

The government is also preparing buffer zones or temporary parking areas for vehicles before they enter the port.

These buffer zones are located in the Merak and Bakauheni areas.

“We have prepared several buffer zones both on the Merak or Java side, as well as on the Bakauheni or Sumatra side with quite substantial capacity,” said Aan.

Around Merak Port, the buffer zones have a capacity of approximately 13,811 small vehicles, 2,212 trucks, and 5,000 motorcycles.

The buffer zone point on the arterial route is located at the Munic Line Parking Area and Cikuasa Atas.