Ministry of Transportation Optimises Vehicle Congestion Clearance at Gilimanuk Port
The Ministry of Transportation (Kemenhub) is optimising various measures to relieve vehicle congestion on routes leading to Gilimanuk Port to facilitate smooth Eid holiday travel in 2026.
Transportation Minister Dudy Purwagandhi stated the effort is being conducted through intensive field coordination by the Land Transportation Management Agency (BPTD) Bali together with relevant stakeholders, including the police, ferry operators, port authorities, security officials, and local government.
“The Ministry of Transportation continues to endeavour to ensure all transportation services operate safely, smoothly, and in a controlled manner,” the minister said in Jakarta on Monday.
He said the ministry is also encouraging the acceleration of various operational measures in the field to expedite vehicle and passenger congestion clearance in the Gilimanuk area, so that public mobility remains well served.
“To enhance coordination effectiveness, I have instructed the Deputy Minister of Transportation (Suntana) and the Director General of Land Transportation (Aan Suhanan) to go directly to Gilimanuk,” the minister said.
To date, vehicle queues heading to Gilimanuk Port have been monitored as congested, with a predominance of two-wheeled and four-wheeled vehicles intending to cross to Java. Various strategic measures continue to be implemented to ensure ferry transportation services operate optimally amid increased vehicle volume.
To accelerate vehicle movement and facilitate ferry operations, the number of vessels deployed reaches 35 units, increased from the existing 28 with an additional 7 vessels, operating under an 8-trip service pattern.
These vessels consist of 19 ferries operating at the moveable bridge (MB) terminal, 11 ferries at the landing craft machine (LCM) terminal, and 4 additional vessels deployed to increase transportation capacity.
Besides the fleet expansion, Kemenhub is also implementing operational measures in the field, including the Arrival–Unloading–Departure (TBB) scheme to accelerate ferry rotation, and expedited cargo handling processes to facilitate small vehicle channelling.
“Traffic management is also strengthened through the operation of a buffer zone at Gilimanuk Port’s cargo terminal and the optimisation of Cekik UPPKB function as a vehicle control point before entering the port area,” the minister added.
Meanwhile, based on weather monitoring by the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) at 11.55 WITA, sea conditions in the Bali Strait were monitored as conducive for navigation. Weather was reported as cloudy with low wave heights of approximately 1 metre, visibility reaching 10 kilometres, and water current heading northward at approximately 2.5 knots.
“The Ministry of Transportation will continue to intensively monitor ferry operational conditions and coordinate with all relevant parties to ensure smooth transportation services on the Ketapang–Gilimanuk route,” the minister said.