Ketapang Port Still Congested, ASDP Changes Ferry Operations at 2 Wharves

BANYUWANGI, KOMPAS.com - ASDP has changed the ferry operation pattern at Ketapang Port, Banyuwangi, East Java, to speed up services and ease the vehicle queues that continue to form on the approach to the port.

Starting Friday night (September 18, 2026), vessels docking at the Landing Craft Machine (LCM) Wharf and MB IV Ketapang Wharf are only permitted to carry logistics vehicles.

ASDP Ketapang Branch General Manager Media Syahrianto said this policy was a result of a meeting held Friday afternoon between ASDP, the Ketapang Land Transportation Management Agency (BPTD), the National Association of River, Lake, and Ferry Transport Entrepreneurs (Gapasdap), Indonesian National Ferryowners Association (INFA), the Port Authority and Harbor Master Office (KSOP), and the police.

"We are all working together—hopefully nature will cooperate. Our focus is on maintaining speed, prioritizing freight capacity, and giving preference to large ships," Media said on Friday.

He added that the operational changes were agreed upon to accelerate ferry services while prioritizing safety.

"We have confirmed that LCM Wharf and MB IV Wharf will be dedicated to logistics from Ketapang, but MB IV Wharf in Gilimanuk can still carry medium-sized private vehicles," he explained.

In addition to repurposing the two wharves, ASDP is strengthening coordination with related stakeholders to potentially implement an arrival, unloading, and departure (TBB) operational pattern.

Media explained that this pattern could be employed in certain conditions when vehicle queues require additional vessels to alleviate congestion.

"We must ensure that TBB does not disrupt existing schedules. It is strictly meant for vessels that can absorb congestion or long queues," he said.

This operational adjustment will be applied while awaiting the capacity expansion of MB II Wharf at Gilimanuk Port, which is targeted for completion by December 2026.

Vehicle queues stretch for over ten kilometers

Meanwhile, as of Friday afternoon, vehicle queues persisted on the route to Ketapang Port. The queue once extended over ten kilometers, although it began to ease by Friday noon.

This situation also affected logistics vehicle journeys. Yoyok, a truck driver, said he had been stuck in the queue since Thursday night (September 17, 2026) at around 10 p.m. WIB in the Bangsring Village area.

He only reached the Bulusan parking bay on Friday at around 11 a.m. WIB.

Yoyok was transporting fresh fruit from Jakarta to Tabanan. His truck is refrigerated, ensuring the cargo remains safe despite the long wait.

Under normal conditions, the Jakarta-Tabanan route usually takes around 22 hours. However, when interviewed on Friday, Yoyok's journey had already reached 35 hours and he had not yet crossed to Bali.

"It's been 35 hours and I still haven't crossed," Yoyok said.