PT Pelabuhan Indonesia (Persero) Regional 4 has stepped up operational preparedness across its ports to anticipate a surge in passenger, vessel and cargo traffic during the 2025 Christmas and 2026 New Year holiday period, the company said.
The state-owned port operator expects higher activity at several key ports in eastern Indonesia, continuing a year-on-year growth trend during the annual holiday season, known locally as Nataru.
Pelindo Regional 4 Executive Director Abdul Azis said the company had prepared infrastructure, terminals and human resources to ensure smooth operations during the peak period.
“We have ensured the readiness of port infrastructure, passenger terminals and berths, as well as personnel who will be on standby around the clock,” Azis said. “The annual increase in passenger, ship and cargo traffic during Nataru is our main focus to ensure services remain safe, comfortable and uninterrupted.”
He added that Pelindo Regional 4 has intensified coordination with port authorities, shipping operators, security agencies and other stakeholders to manage passenger embarkation and disembarkation flows, improve terminal cleanliness and comfort, and maintain operational safety.
Passenger traffic projected to rise
Pelindo Regional 4’s Head of Operations, Yusida M. Palesang, said data from the 2024 Christmas and New Year period, combined with projections for 2025, showed strong passenger growth at five major ports.
Ambon Port recorded the highest passenger volume at 116,965 travelers, a figure projected to rise to 123,982 next year. Makassar followed with 90,697 passengers, projected to increase to 96,138. Parepare Port handled 78,527 passengers, expected to grow to 83,238, while Balikpapan recorded 72,132 passengers, projected at 76,459. Manado Port handled 69,252 passengers, with an estimated increase to 73,407.
Yusida attributed the growth to rising interregional mobility, higher frequency of passenger vessels and continued improvements in terminal services.
Ship calls and cargo activity increase
“In addition to passenger movements, vessel traffic across our region is also trending upward,” Yusida said.
During the 2024 year-end holiday period, Ternate and Manado ports recorded the highest number of ship calls, with 154 and 152 calls respectively. They were followed by Ambon with 116 calls, Makassar with 84 and Parepare with 79. Ship traffic is projected to increase further in 2025 in line with rising demand for transport and logistics services.
Cargo activity has also shown strong momentum, particularly at Makassar, Samarinda and Balikpapan ports, which serve as key logistics hubs in eastern Indonesia.
Yusida said the increase underscored Pelindo Regional 4’s strategic role in maintaining supply chain continuity, especially during the year-end period when consumption and distribution needs typically rise.
Focus on safety and service reliability
Operational readiness during Nataru remains focused on safety and reliability, she added, with routine inspections of port facilities, equipment readiness checks and the deployment of additional personnel in high-traffic areas.
“We are also optimizing berth scheduling to prevent congestion, particularly at ports with dense traffic,” Yusida said.
Pelindo Regional 4 said it remains optimistic about delivering reliable, high-quality port services throughout the holiday season, supporting public mobility and the smooth flow of national logistics in line with Pelindo’s service commitment.