Number of fleet serving traffic between Ketapang ferry port on Java and Gilimanuk ferry port on Bali will be increased. PT ASDP as the operating company is planning to add one more ferry to accelerate ability to serve traffic surge around the soon coming Idul Fitri festival.

At the moment the route is served by a fleet of 24 ferries. PT ASDP is planning to add a RORO-type ferry to anticipate the surge. “We have submit our proposal, but it has not decided from where the extra vessel will be reallocated”, Branch Manager of PT ASDP for Ketapang – Gilimanuk, Charda Damanik told the press on Wednesday, August 5th.

He explained the concerned that existing fleet will not be sufficient to serve traffic surge in reasonable pace, especially considering the fact that every year traffic surge between the two islands around Idul Fitri significantly increased. Provision of additional vessel is intended as an effort to improve service quality. By statistic, Ketapang – Gilimanuk is the busiest ferry route in the country.

Charda further explained that his office is still in discussion about number of trips and schedule rearrangement when the new vessel arrives. Additional vessel will immediately decrease the number of trips made by each vessels. At the moment each vessel makes 18 trips per day. The intention is to increase total number of trips whilst decreasing number of trips per vessel.

Decision to choose RORO, passenger only vessel, was made in careful consideration. Needs for this type of vessel is considerably higher. The existing fleet consists of 16 units RORO-type and 8 LCT-type specifically designed to carry heavy vehicles. During the peal Idul Fitri traffic, LCT operation is ceased as trucks operation is prohibited. Importance of RORO-type kicks into critical during the period to accelerate trip schedule. The additional vessel is expected to help in decreasing queue.

Closing to Idul Fitri, other preparations are also in progress including preparing three additional parking pool and provision of electronic ticketing booths. Chadra was confidence that all prepared instruments will shorten queue of both vehicles and walk-in passengers. “We are making extra-fast service to ensure that queue will not reach the main road”, he Charda said. Snaking queue has been lasting phenomena of Idul Fitri traffic.