RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Minister of Transportation, Dudy Purwagandhi, has announced the deployment of 255 vessels to support the 2026 Eid al-Fitr exodus, ensuring passenger safety and smooth mobility across Indonesia’s national ferry crossings. The fleet has a transport capacity of 6.15 million passengers and 770,000 vehicles across 15 routes.

The minister said the operation is being coordinated with regional leaders, including the Lampung provincial administration, which serves as a key gateway for travelers crossing from Java to Sumatra.

“Regarding the readiness of national ferry transportation, the Ministry of Transportation has prepared 255 vessels with a carrying capacity of 6.15 million passengers and 770,000 vehicles through 15 crossing routes,” Minister Dudy said in Jakarta on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

Bakauheni Ferry Port in Lampung is expected to be one of the busiest hubs nationwide. Survey data indicate that Lampung is among the top five destination provinces for travelers from Greater Jakarta (Jabodetabek), with an estimated 778,000 travelers.

“Therefore, coordination and synergy with the Lampung provincial administration is an important foundation in ensuring that the exodus and return flows from and to Sumatra can run safely, smoothly, and under control,” Minister Dudy said.

Projections show that Bakauheni Port will handle about 813,000 departing passengers and 2.94 million arriving passengers. The minister noted that these figures must be managed alongside traffic at Merak Ferry Port in Java, as most of Merak’s passengers are bound for Bakauheni.

To accommodate the heavy flow between Java and Sumatra, the ministry has prepared five contingency routes: Merak–Bakauheni, Ciwandan–PT Wijaya Karya Beton, Ciwandan–Bakauheni, BBJ Bojonegara–BBJ Muara Pilu, and PT Krakatau Bandar Samudera–Panjang.

A delaying system will also be implemented at 10 buffer zones, including terminals, parking areas, and restaurants along toll roads and arterial routes.

“The hope is that, in addition to breaking up traffic density, the application of this delaying system can also be utilized by travelers to rest before continuing their journey,” Minister Dudy said. ***