MERAK, BAKAUHENI PORTS GEARING UP FOR IDUL FITRI TRAVELERS

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Aug 14 (ANTARA) - The ports of Merak in the western tip of Java and Bakauheni in the eastern tip of Sumatra are gearing up to serve millions of homeward travelers who want to celebrate  post-fasting Lebaran or Idul Fitri festivities in their home-towns in Sumatra or Java.          At least 36 ships, consisting of 33 Roro (Roll-on roll-off) ferries and three express vessels,  are being prepared to transport millions of revelers in the runup to, during and after the Lebaran holidays which will peak on September 10-11, 2010.          "Indeed the 36 ships are now ready to be operated because the Merak and Bakauheni port administrators have examined them," Zailis Anas, operational manager of the Inland Waterway Service (PT ASDP Ferry Indonesia) for Bakauheni, said.          He said that in the face of the Lebaran day, his office had prepared infrastructural facilities at the ports. "We are adding facilities for passengers and now they are still in the process of improvement for the convenience of passengers," he said.          The state-owned ferry service firm will also make available other facilities which would be adjusted to the conditions in the period nearing Lebaran.  For passengers' convenience, PT ASDP will coordinate with related agencies such as police, land-transportation owners organization (Organda), port administrators, transportation services, health services and other relevant parties.          Bakauheni port has six piers, three of which are ready to be operated for passengers namely Pier I, Pier II and Peir III for unloading passengers and cars.          The other three piers are the Plengsengan, Peirs IV, Piers V and Piers VI but the three would be operated only if the other three are not able to accommodate a jump flow of passengers.           Besides, the port infrastructural facilities, PT ASDP has also prepared 36 ferries and express ships. Each of the 33 Roro ships has an average capacity to transport 676 passengers and 104 vehicles each trip. The head way of the 33 ships 150 minutes or a total of 90 trip per day.         The three express ships, namely Pascadana 2, Alle Ekspres and Citra Jet 2,  have a capacity of 172 passengers per trip with a trip frequency of 16 per day. They have a cruising time of 60 minutes to cover the Bakauheni and Merak ports.          In the meantime, PT ASDP operational manager for Merak port Endin Juhaendi  said that each of the 33 ferries, among others BSP II, Duta Banten, Nusa Mulya, Nusa Agung, Nusa Jaya and Panorama was able to transport over 100 four wheel vehicles.          The 33 Roro ships included two large ones with a capacity of transporting 175 four wheel vehicles. The two are being prepared at the dockyard but were ready to be operated in the runup to the Idul Fitri holidays.          "They are still docking and are under maintenance service but work is almost complete. We could ascertain that they are ready for operations in the runup to Idul Fitri holidays," Head of Ship Safty Affairs of the Banten Port Administrator, Capt M Hasan Basri said meanwhile.          He said that based on field checks and reports from the relevant services, the two ships were ready to be operated during the Idual Fitri holidays.          He said that Tribuana I ferry had a capacity to transport 175 four wheel vehicles and 395 passengers while the other one BSP III was able to load 100 units of four wheel motor vehicles and 500 passengers.           But according to data obtained by ANTARA, most of the 33 roll-on roll-off ferries to be operated for home ward Indul Fitri travelers are old ships with only a number of them are less than 15 years.           The data received from  PT ASDP Indonesia  Ferry showed that of the 33 ships under the firm at Merak port most were already old, or over 25 years, some others even almost reaching 40 years old.          The 33 old ferries which will serve and ferry millions of home-bound post-fasting month travelers and vehicles from Java to Sumatra or the vise verse, included the Jatra I and Jatra II produced in 1980.          The others are Jatra III,1985, BSP I,1973, BSP II,1971, BSP III,1973, Bahuga Pratama, 1992, Bahuga Jaya,1987, Menggala, 1973, Mufidah,1979, Duta Banten, 1973, Jagantara, 1979, Nusa Dharma, 1986, Nusa Bahagia,1979, Victorius, 1990, Laut Teduh I, 1990, Musthika Kencana,1975, HM Baruna,1992, Tribuana, 1997 and Rajabasa I, 1990.          Besides that other old ferries are SMS Kartanegara,1984, Windu Karsa Dwita,1997, Windu Karsa Pratama,1993, Titian Nusantara,1995, Panorama Nusantara,1987, Royal Nusantara,1985, Prima Nusantara,1975, Mitra Nusantara,1997, Titian Murni,1985, Nusa Agung,1992, Nusa Jaya,1987, Nusa Mulia, 1992 and Nusa Setia, 1994.          The Indonesian government has to facilitate annual Idul Fitri travelers every year during the post-fasting month festivities.          The preparations made included transportation facilities and infrastructures, provision of basic necessaries, fuel, security and the comfortable travel conditions.  All government agencies must therefore be responsible for their respective main duties.          The country last year saw  the exodus of about 27 million home-bound Indul Fitri travelers when the government services for the revelers focused on three main things - security, safety and comfort.          Last year?s Idul Fitri travelers in the country were recorded at 27.25 million, of which 16.2 million used various public transportation modes while the remaining 11.2 million used private cars and motor cycles. ***4*** (T.A014/A/HAJM/19:25/a014)14-08-2010 19:22:1