Jembrana. Vehicle queues heading toward the ferry terminal at Port of Gilimanuk in Bali stretched as far as 25 kilometers on Saturday, about a week before the Eid al-Fitr holiday, local authorities said.
Indonesia’s state news agency Antara News Agency reported that the congestion lasted more than 10 hours from the early hours of the morning, driven by a surge in vehicles — mainly trucks and private cars — heading toward the ferry crossing linking Bali and Java.
“Since early this morning we have seen a sharp increase in the number of vehicles heading toward Gilimanuk Port,” said Kadek Citra Dewi Suparwati, the police chief of Jembrana Regency.
To prevent bottlenecks in a single location, Bali police implemented traffic engineering measures by directing buses and trucks through special routes, including village roads in the Gilimanuk area.
Officers also conducted patrols along the main route leading to the port to ensure vehicles remained orderly and did not disrupt traffic leaving the ferry terminal.
Many drivers reportedly fell asleep inside their vehicles due to fatigue, forcing officers to wake them one by one.
“If drivers feel sleepy, they should pull over and find a safe place to rest,” Kadek said.
The spike in vehicles entering the port was also confirmed by ferry operator ASDP Indonesia Ferry. The company said the increase was driven by travelers leaving earlier for the annual Eid homecoming as well as logistics distribution ahead of ferry closures during Nyepi.
Arief Eko, general manager of the ferry operator, said the company had increased sailing frequencies and tightened queue management to ease congestion around the port.
“In certain situations, crossings are prioritized for passenger vehicles such as motorcycles and private cars to maintain public mobility, while logistics vehicles are served gradually based on ship capacity,” Arief said.
The ferry KMP Portlink VII, which previously experienced a fire incident at Port of Ketapang, has also resumed operations to boost ferry capacity between Bali and Banyuwangi.
According to Windy Andale, ASDP Indonesia Ferry’s corporate secretary, the vessel’s large capacity allows faster vehicle loading for crossings to and from Bali.
Windy said the ship can carry about 600 passengers, 30 trucks, and around 100 smaller vehicles per trip.
Before returning to service, the vessel underwent repairs, safety inspections, and sea trials to ensure all systems — including engines and navigation equipment — were functioning properly.
“Based on those tests, KMP Portlink VII has been declared seaworthy and ready to resume ferry services,” Windy said.
