Passenger Vehicles Prioritised Across Gilimanuk-Ketapang Ferry to Ease Congestion

Minister of Transportation Dudy Purwagandhi announced that passenger vehicles will be prioritised for crossing from Gilimanuk Port to Ketapang Port to alleviate congestion during the holiday exodus. He made this statement whilst monitoring and coordinating cross-sectoral efforts regarding traffic conditions at Gilimanuk Port, Jembrana Regency, Bali, on Tuesday.

“To clear the queues quickly, in addition to increasing the number of ferries operating in the Bali Strait, we will also prioritise passenger vehicles,” he said.

He explained that this policy was adopted because such vehicles also carry large numbers of passengers and account for the majority of traffic. “We will continue to serve goods vehicles, but we are giving priority to passenger vehicles first, whether motorcycles, private cars or buses,” he stated.

With this approach combined with additional ferry capacity, Purwagandhi said the length of queues of holiday travellers heading to Gilimanuk Port has decreased significantly. He expressed hope that by Nyepi (Balinese New Year), all queued vehicles could be transported to Java.

Should this not be achieved, he said, the ministry would provide a solution by transporting drivers to Ketapang Port and returning them to Gilimanuk after Nyepi concludes. “We will provide free ferries and rest facilities at Ketapang Port. For their vehicles, they can be parked in designated areas at Gilimanuk,” he said.

When asked about the cause of queues at Gilimanuk Port that have exceeded 30 kilometres, Purwagandhi attributed this to large trucks, particularly three-axle vehicles, continuing to operate. He noted that a Joint Decree already exists limiting freight vehicle operations during peak travel periods.

“Non-compliance with this Joint Decree is causing the long queues at Gilimanuk. We are asking logistics transport operators to comply with it. They should not prioritise sectoral interests when there is a greater public interest at stake,” he said.