Pelindo Benoa reopens after Nyepi to serve Dutch-flagged cruise ship

Denpasar (ANTARA) - The Benoa Port branch of Pelindo in Denpasar, Bali, has reopened after a temporary 24-hour closure during the sacred Nyepi day, serving a Dutch-flagged cruise ship. “Pelindo ensures that port operations can resume optimally after the Nyepi period, while continuing to support the smooth flow of Lebaran repatriation and tourism activities,” said General Manager of Benoa Port Anak Agung Gde Agung Mataram in Denpasar on Friday. The cruise ship MS Volendam docked at Benoa Port in Denpasar on Friday at 07:00 WITA, or one hour after the port reopened following Nyepi. The 237-metre-long cruise ship carried 975 passengers and 617 crew members serving the route from Australia to Singapore. Before stopping in Benoa, Bali, the cruise ship had previously docked at Komodo Island and departed for Benoa Port to berth for one night, with the next scheduled departure to Singapore on Saturday (21/3) at 17:00 WITA. Agung added that his team had made arrangements to ensure the smooth transportation for Lebaran repatriation and cruise ships before and after Nyepi. “Operational adjustments were made while prioritising aspects of safety, security, and the smooth service for ships and passengers,” he stated. On the other hand, Benoa Port has also served Lebaran passenger traffic for 2026, with Pelni passenger ships departing to various regions in Nusa Tenggara, indicating an increase in public mobility ahead of the holiday. During the establishment of the Lebaran transportation post for 2026, the repatriation flow at Benoa was served by three ships owned by state-owned enterprise Pelni. Lebaran transportation at Benoa Port is served by three fleets, namely KM Awu, Tilongkabila, and Binaiya. Meanwhile, KM Leuser has been redirected to assist with denser passenger flows during Lebaran repatriation at other ports. Based on preliminary estimated data for the period from 7 March to 7 April 2026, Benoa Port is projected to serve around 4,480 passengers with a total of eight ship visits. This projection is a decrease compared to the Lebaran transportation period in 2025, when Benoa Port served 7,424 passengers.