Transport Minister Describes Truck Queues at BBJ Port as Strategy to Ease Congestion at Merak

Transport Minister (Menhub) Dudy Purwagandhi described the accumulation of trucks at Bandar Bakau Jaya (BBJ) Port, Serang Regency, Banten, as a strategy to alleviate congestion at Merak Port. Truck queues at BBJ have persisted for several days since the implementation of a ban on trucks accessing Merak.

Truck drivers planning to cross to Sumatra via BBJ Port have reported waiting periods of up to two days to board vessels. The truck accumulation at BBJ began on 13 March 2026.

“Just a moment, just a moment. Accumulating for days feels like queuing waiting to board the ship. This is not accumulation but queuing, yes. This is part of our strategy to alleviate or anticipate the occurrence of congestion in the Merak area. So, as you all know, the Bojonegara BBJ port is one of the points of departure for large category trucks, classes 7, 8, and 9, yes,” Dudy said whilst inspecting BBJ Port on Sunday (15 March 2026).

Dudy stated that the truck accumulation at BBJ Port should be termed as a queue waiting for their turn to board vessels. Twelve ships are provided at BBJ to transport trucks to BBJ Port in Lampung.

“Once they enter the port, that does not mean they are queuing but rather they are waiting to board the ship and alhamdulillah, thank you to the Regional Police Chief and other stakeholders who could arrange things in such a way that everything runs smoothly, yes. There are 12 ships provided here and everything is running well. So indeed there is waiting, yes, because we must also arrange the journeys of these ships,” Dudy said.

“There is no queue lasting for days, is there no waiting to board lasting for days,” he added.

Meanwhile, a truck driver named Warsito said he had waited for his turn to board the ship for two nights. Until Sunday (15 March) at approximately 22:27 Western Indonesian Time, he and several other drivers were still waiting to board the ship.

“Alhamdulillah two nights (waiting to board the ship), the problem is that the queue is too long, yes this can be seen,” he said.

Warsito was forced to spend the night at the port waiting for his turn to board the ship. Nevertheless, he and several other waiting drivers received one meal per day from the port management.

“Yes, I’m sleeping here, what else can I do. I got a meal, once,” he added.