Indonesia braces for Eid return peak at Ketapang Port East Java

hartono · Mar 28, 2026

Motorcyclists wait their turn to board a ship at Ketapang Port, Banyuwangi, East Java. ANTARA/Novi Husdinariyanto/rst

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Transportation is finalizing strategy to manage the second peak of homecoming return traffic on March 28–29 at Ketapang Port, Banyuwangi, East Java, to ensure smooth crossings and reduce congestion.

The ministry's Director General of Land Transportation, Aan Suhanan, said that related stakeholders had held a coordination meeting to finalize the strategy ahead of the return flow peak.

"We must prioritize crossing services from Ketapang to Gilimanuk during this return flow. The Arrival–Unloading–Departure (TBB) mechanism must be implemented quickly and without delay, in accordance with real situation on the ground," he remarked in a statement on Saturday.

Earlier, long queues of vehicles have formed on roads leading to Gilimanuk Port on March 15, reportedly stretching for tens of kilometers as travelers about to cross to Ketapang and leave Bali for their hometowns ahead of the Eid al-Fitr.

He explained that results from evaluation of that previous homecoming flow require optimization of buffer zones and a delaying system to ease queues of vehicles heading to the port area.

According to Suhanan, the buffer zone for four-wheeled vehicles and buses is located at the Gran Watudodol and Bulusan parking areas. Meanwhile, buffer zones for freight vehicles will be concentrated at the Sri Tanjung buffer zone and the PT Pusri and Pelindo parking areas.

The strategy also includes ship operations, with the number of vessels increased from 28 under normal conditions to 30 during busy periods and 32 at peak demand.

"If absolutely necessary, the number of ships can be increased to 35 to 40, along with two support ships with a capacity of 60 to 80 vehicles," Suhanan added.

Based on data from PT ASDP Indonesia Ferry, between D+1 and D+3 of Eid al-Fitr, 41,526 vehicles crossed to Bali, comprising 24,093 two-wheeled vehicles (25 percent), 14,179 four-wheeled vehicles (34 percent), 927 buses (20 percent), and 2,327 trucks (17 percent).

ASDP forecasts that the peak of the return flow will occur on D+6, or March 28, 2026.