PT ASDP Indonesia Ferry (Persero) said ferry operations at Ketapang Port remain normal following a fire incident aboard KMP Portlink VII on Wednesday night, as authorities conduct further inspections to ensure the vessel’s readiness before returning it to service.
The incident occurred at around 20:08 WIB in a passenger deck area on the right rear side of the vessel while loading activities were underway. Crew members who identified the fire immediately carried out initial firefighting measures using portable fire extinguishers.
Emergency response teams onshore later reinforced the effort using freshwater hydrants, successfully extinguishing the fire by 20:35 WIB.
All passengers and vehicle cargo were safely evacuated. A total of 12 logistics trucks were transferred to another vessel, KMP Jambo, to continue their journey, while one remaining truck received service recovery assistance.
Authorities said the handling of the incident did not disrupt the flow of logistics vehicles at the port, with no vehicles waiting more than one hour during the process.
Corporate Secretary of PT ASDP Indonesia Ferry (Persero), Windy Andale, praised the swift response of the ship’s crew and operational teams in handling the emergency.
“We appreciate the quick response from the ship’s crew and operational teams on the ground, who handled the situation promptly and according to safety procedures, ensuring there were no casualties,” Windy said.
She added that ASDP is coordinating with port authorities to conduct a comprehensive inspection of the vessel before allowing it to resume operations.
“ASDP, together with KSOP (Harbormaster and Port Authority), is conducting a thorough follow-up inspection to ensure the vessel meets all safety requirements before returning to service,” she said.
ASDP emphasized that safety, security and service reliability remain the company’s top priorities in ferry operations.
]Despite the incident, ferry services on the Ketapang–Gilimanuk route continued to operate normally.
“Crossing services on the Ketapang–Gilimanuk route remain normal and under control. ASDP and port authorities will accelerate the handling and inspection process so that KMP Portlink VII can return to service once it is declared safe and seaworthy,” Windy said.
The company added that ensuring service readiness is particularly important ahead of the upcoming Eid al-Fitr travel period, when ferry traffic is expected to increase.