The flow of travelers returning from Sumatra to Java after the Eid al-Fitr holiday is gaining momentum, with ferry operator PT ASDP Indonesia Ferry projecting peak traffic on March 24–25, officials said.
Traffic at Bakauheni Port, a key gateway linking Sumatra and Java, has been rising since Sunday, with both passenger and vehicle volumes increasing. Despite the uptick, ferry services have remained orderly and within capacity, supported by operational planning and coordination among authorities.
ASDP President Director Heru Widodo said the increase marked the early phase of the return period.
“We are seeing a clear upward trend in return traffic and continue to ensure operational and facility readiness to anticipate peak conditions,” he said.
At Bakauheni, operations are being managed under an adaptive traffic control scheme, including vehicle diversion measures to ease congestion.
Pedestrian passengers and vehicles in classes I, II, III, IVA, VA and VIA are being served at the main port. Heavier vehicles in classes IVB, VB and VIB are being redirected to BBJ Muara Pilu Port, while larger trucks subject to restrictions are held in buffer zones and toll road rest areas to maintain traffic flow.
General Manager of ASDP’s Bakauheni branch, Partogi Tamba, said vehicle arrivals remained evenly distributed.
“Traffic is still within service capacity. The steady arrival pattern allows for efficient loading and unloading without significant disruption,” he said.
He added that port operations are being handled using a flexible multi-dock system to maintain service stability amid rising demand.
ASDP Corporate Secretary Windy Andale urged travelers to plan ahead and secure tickets through the company’s digital platform, Ferizy.
“There are no ticket sales at the port. All passengers must purchase tickets in advance through official channels,” she said.
Traffic rises sharply
Data from Bakauheni Port showed that in the 24 hours leading up to the latest reporting period, 146 ferry trips carried 51,751 passengers, up 30.5% from a year earlier.
Vehicle traffic rose 45.3% to 14,094 units, led by motorcycles, which jumped 59.4% to 5,248 units. Passenger cars increased 27.9% to 7,407 units, while logistics vehicles surged 189.6% to 1,202 units. Bus traffic rose 19.7% to 237 units.
Cumulatively, passenger traffic from Sumatra to Java reached 480,613 in the 10 days leading up to the return period, up 5.8% year-on-year. Total vehicles rose 11.5% to 102,031 units.
In contrast, traffic in the opposite direction — from Java to Sumatra via Merak, Ciwandan and BBJ Bojonegara ports — declined on the day of Eid, with passenger numbers falling 4.3% to 53,594 and vehicle numbers down 5.7% to 13,383 units.
However, cumulative figures still showed modest growth, with passenger traffic up 1% to 952,458 and vehicle traffic rising 5.6% to 253,049 units.
Indonesia’s Transport Minister Dudy Purwagandhi said return traffic management must remain flexible and responsive to on-the-ground conditions, including optimizing port capacity and strengthening buffer zones.
Authorities expect ferry services on the busy Sumatra–Java route to remain stable through the peak return period, supported by digital ticketing and coordination across agencies.