Indonesia’s state owned ferry operator PT ASDP Indonesia Ferry (Persero) said it will continue strengthening the transformation of Indonesia’s national ferry services through closer coordination with the government, following a meeting between the company’s management and Transportation Minister Dudy Purwagandhi.
The meeting discussed efforts to improve ferry operations, infrastructure readiness and national logistics connectivity, ASDP said in a statement on Thursday.
During the meeting, the transportation minister praised ASDP’s handling of the 2026 Eid al-Fitr travel period, particularly on the busy Merak-Bakauheni crossing route linking Java and Sumatra.
According to the ministry, improved traffic management, coordination among stakeholders and operational adjustments helped maintain smooth passenger and vehicle movement during the annual holiday exodus and return period.
Data from the transportation period showed passenger traffic on 15 nationally monitored ferry routes reached 4.72 million people from eight days before Eid until 6 a.m. local time after the holiday, up 6.6% from a year earlier.
Vehicle crossings rose 8% year-on-year to 1.21 million units, reflecting higher public mobility during the holiday season.
The government, however, acknowledged that challenges remain on several strategic crossings, including the Ketapang-Gilimanuk route between Java and Bali, where logistics congestion and road access issues continue to affect operations.
To address the issue, the Transportation Ministry and ASDP plan to strengthen operational measures, including optimizing vessel deployment patterns, utilizing buffer ports and implementing more adaptive traffic management systems.
ASDP President Director Heru Widodo said the government’s recognition would encourage the company to continue improving ferry services nationwide.
“ASDP appreciates the support and evaluation provided by the Transportation Ministry, which will become an important foundation for strengthening the quality of national ferry services,” Heru said.
He said the operational approach implemented on the Merak-Bakauheni route could serve as a model for improving services on other strategic routes to create a more efficient and integrated transportation system.
The meeting also discussed the development of long-distance ferry (LDF) services aimed at improving interregional logistics distribution.
Several proposed routes, including Makassar-Semarang and Panjang-Jakarta, have received government backing for further development as part of efforts to improve national supply chain efficiency.
ASDP Corporate Secretary Windy Andale said the company’s transformation strategy focused not only on operational performance but also on building a more modern and user-oriented ferry transportation system.
“ASDP continues to strengthen service digitalization, vehicle flow management and operational readiness to ensure safer, more comfortable and seamless travel experiences for the public,” Windy said.
ASDP and the Transportation Ministry said they would continue working together to strengthen ferry transportation as a key component of Indonesia’s inter-island connectivity and national logistics network.