Transport Minister Inspects Three Banten Ports, Ensures Smooth Java-Sumatra Crossings

Transport Minister Dudy Purwagandha inspected three ports in the Banten region—namely PT Bandar Bakau Jaya (BBJ) Bojonegara Port, Ciwandan Port, and Merak Port—on Sunday evening (15 March) through Monday early morning (16 March). The inspection was conducted ahead of the anticipated peak period of the 2026 Eid exodus, which is predicted to fall on 16 and 18 March 2026.

Dudy sought to ensure the smooth management of Java-Sumatra crossing operations, encompassing both freight and passenger vehicle flows across the three ports.

“The condition at BBJ Bojonegara Port on Sunday evening (15 March) was monitored as busy yet flowing smoothly, and the overall situation at the port appeared safe and well-managed. All trucks had entered the port area and were awaiting their turn to board the vessels. In essence, there was no accumulation of vehicles outside the port,” Dudy stated in a press release on Monday (16 March).

The Transport Minister noted that 12 vessels are currently operating at BBJ Bojonegara Port. According to him, this number remains sufficient to transport logistics vehicles destined for Sumatra. He assured that the Transport Ministry, working with relevant stakeholders, had prepared mitigation measures in case there was a significant increase in the number of freight vehicles at BBJ Bojonegara Port.

Dudy explained that vehicles would be directed to buffer zones at kilometre 43 and kilometre 68 until port conditions returned to normal. Additional mitigation includes the provision of parking areas in the PT BAM region, capable of accommodating up to 4,000 vehicles. The Transport Ministry would also consistently enforce a Joint Decision Letter (SKB) that had been agreed upon with the Ministry of Public Works and the Indonesian National Police regarding port allocation based on vehicle axles and classifications.

“Although conditions at Merak Port are relatively quiet, logistics vehicles of classification 7, 8, and 9 bound for Sumatra shall still transit through BBJ Bojonegara Port. We must remain consistent with the agreements that have been made,” stated the Transport Minister.

At Ciwandan and Merak Ports, busy yet orderly conditions were observed by the Transport Minister during his inspection. At these two ports, holiday travellers using motorcycles and cars only queued to board the vessels, with no accumulation of vehicles outside the port areas.

Based on data compiled by PT ASDP, the actual number of passengers crossing from Java to Sumatra on the sixth day before Eid reached 48,286 people, whilst two-wheeled vehicles that had crossed during the same period totalled 4,446 units.

The number of four-wheeled vehicles crossing from Java to Sumatra on the sixth day before Eid reached 6,544 units, whilst the number of trucks crossing during the same period reached 1,290 units. The number of buses that crossed totalled 296 units.

The Transport Minister stated that the service provided by operators and field personnel to holiday travellers had been good and measured. Nevertheless, he pledged to conduct a comprehensive evaluation should there be any services that were not delivered optimally to the public.

The Transport Minister added that facilities at Ciwandan and Merak Ports were indeed sufficiently adequate to serve holiday travellers. Various facilities had been provided, ranging from rest areas, children’s play rooms, health posts, repair workshops, to MSME food stalls that could be utilised at any time.

The Transport Minister appealed to all stakeholders to continue coordinating to ensure the management of the Eid exodus and return traffic at BBJ Bojonegara, Ciwandan, and Merak Ports proceeded smoothly according to operational plans. He also hoped that holiday travellers could enjoy their journey in comfort and arrive at their hometowns safely.

“What is equally important, I request the public and all stakeholders to be vigilant about extreme weather that may occur in the Sunda Strait,” said Dudy.

“Should bad weather occur, such as high waves, the port authority must immediately inform field personnel about it. This way, officers can implement mitigation measures to prevent vehicle congestion heading to the ports,” he concluded.