PT ASDP Indonesia Ferry (Persero) has diverted the service of ferry KMP Mamberamo Foja to Kosonaweja Port after extreme weather disrupted operations in waters north of Papua, the company said.
The vessel had earlier taken shelter at Teba Port, where waves reached around four meters and wind speeds hit up to 40 knots, making it unsafe to continue normal operations.
Following coordination with the Balai Pengelola Transportasi Darat (BPTD) and the Unit Penyelenggara Pelabuhan Teba, the company decided to divert the vessel to Kosonaweja Port, citing limited logistics and freshwater supplies at Teba.
Corporate Secretary Windy Andale said the diversion was a precautionary measure to maintain safety while ensuring service continuity.
“In uncertain weather conditions, we must remain adaptive. This diversion decision was taken to prioritize safety while maintaining services for the public,” Windy said in a statement.
The vessel is currently sailing toward Kosonaweja, about 83 nautical miles away, with the journey expected to take around two days. During the trip, the ferry continues to serve scheduled stops at Bagusa Port and Trimuris Port as part of its subsidized route obligations.
Windra Soelistiawan, general manager of ASDP’s Biak branch, said all passengers on board were safe and receiving necessary services.
“All passengers are in good health. Service recovery is ongoing, including the provision of logistics and medicines on board,” Windra said.
Crew members are continuing to distribute food and beverages while providing regular updates to passengers as weather conditions change.
Most passengers are travelling to Kosonaweja, while those continuing their journey to Biak have been advised to retain their tickets as proof of travel for the next available service.
The ferry plays an important role in regional connectivity. In 2025, KMP Mamberamo Foja transported 13,083 passengers, 282 vehicles and around 5,730 tonnes of cargo, highlighting its significance in supporting mobility and logistics distribution in eastern Indonesia.
According to an early warning from the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency in Jayapura, strong winds of 20–25 knots are forecast in waters south and north of Serui and between Sarmi and Mamberamo from April 11–14. Such conditions pose risks to ferry operations, particularly when winds exceed 21 knots and waves rise above 2.5 meters.
ASDP said it would continue monitoring weather developments and coordinating with authorities before resuming normal ferry operations once conditions are deemed safe.