Ministry of Transport Manages Mobility at Lebaran Holiday Ferry Port Crossings
Jakarta — The Indonesian Ministry of Transport is managing mobility at ferry port crossings to anticipate heavy vehicle traffic and accommodate users who lack pre-purchased tickets during the 2026 Lebaran holiday period.
“The Ministry of Transport is implementing a delaying system and has designated multiple locations as buffer zones outside the ferry ports,” stated Aan Suhanan, Director-General of Land Transport at the Ministry of Transport, in a statement in Jakarta on Monday.
He explained that the delaying system will be implemented at multiple points along both toll roads and arterial roads leading to ferry ports.
The regulations governing the delaying system and buffer zones have been formalised in Joint Decision Number KP-DRJD 854 Year 2026, Number HK.201/1/21DJPL/2026, Number 20/KPTS/Db/2026, and Number Kep/43/II/2026, dated 5 February 2026, concerning Traffic Control and Crossings during the Outbound and Return Traffic Flow for the 2026 Lebaran Holiday Period/1447 Hijriah.
“We have prepared a delaying system strategy and designated buffer zones at multiple points to manage vehicle queues heading to the ports, preventing congestion at main access roads,” he stated.
Aan outlined that the delaying system and buffer zone arrangements apply to Merak Port and Bakauheni Port, as well as to Ketapang Port and Gilimanuk Port.
In more detail, the delaying system for traffic heading to Merak and Ciwandan will be implemented at rest areas at KM 43A and KM 68A on the Tangerang-Merak toll road, then at PT Munic Line land on Cikuasa Atas road and the Pelabuhan Indah Kiat parking area.
On non-toll (arterial) roads, implementation will occur at the Gayam Agribusiness Terminal, Gunung Jati Restaurant, Tiga Saudara Restaurant, the old office of the Agricultural Quarantine Bureau, the special terminal port of PT SMA, and in front of the gate entrance to PT BBJ Muara Pilu.
“The delaying system for traffic heading to Bakauheni and BBJ Muara Pilu is spread across 10 buffer zone points with total parking capacity reaching 1,430 small vehicles. Implementation will run from 13-29 March 2026,” Aan explained.
Meanwhile, to prevent long queues around port areas, ticket purchase restrictions will be implemented within a specified radius zone.
Additionally, a buffer zone for traffic heading to Ketapang Port from the Situbondo direction will be established at the Grand Watudodol rest area. Furthermore, traffic to Ketapang from the Jember direction will also be accommodated at the Bulusan Dock parking pocket.
“We have also prepared a delaying system for traffic heading to Gilimanuk, with the buffer zone located at Gilimanuk Cargo Terminal. However, specifically for motorcycles, the buffer zone will be at Gilimanuk Bus Terminal,” Aan clarified.
The Ministry of Transport, together with relevant stakeholders, has also arranged a delaying system and buffer zones to restrict freight transport operations to Ketapang Port from the Situbondo direction at the PT Pusri warehouse field in the Tanjung Wangi Port area and the Sritanjung Terminal. From the Jember direction, arrangements are at the Bulusan Dock parking field.
Traffic heading to Tanjung Wangi Port will be directed to the Kampung Anyar parking area in Ketapang Village and the former PT Pusri TUKS facility.
Aan stated that the Ministry of Transport, together with relevant stakeholders, has also prepared measures to restrict ticket purchases to prevent vehicle accumulation around port areas.
Ticket purchase restrictions will be implemented with a radius zone: Ketapang Port at a distance of 2.65 kilometres from the outer centre point of the port (for example, the reference point is Sri Tanjung Terminal); Gilimanuk Port at a distance of 2.0 kilometres from the outer centre point of the port (for example, the reference point is Cargo Terminal).