REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, MERAK -- As many as 63,737 travelers arrived at Banten's Merak Ferry Port to head to Bakauheni Ferry Port in Sumatra on Wednesday for Eid, according to the Inland Waterway Transportation Service (ASDP).

An ASDP officer, Yusuf, who was in charge of preparing data on the number of Eid travelers, said here on Thursday that the number of travelers that arrived at the port in the western tip of Java on Wednesday, two days before (D-2) Lebaran, decreased from the 124,080 passengers seen a day earlier (D-3).

He added that the decline in the number of travelers was partly because the flow of Eid travelers from Merak to Bakauheni peaks on D-4 and D-3.

Now, the flow of travelers is returning to normal, with no vehicular or passenger congestions, Yusuf affirmed.

"We expect the number of travelers to continue to decline till Lebaran," he remarked.

Moreover, Yusuf revealed that of the 63,737 passengers, 10,553 were pedestrians and 53,184 were passengers using vehicles. There were 12,683 vehicles, including of 5,797 two-wheelers and 6,886 four-wheelers.

Furthermore, PT ASDP has predicted that this year, Merak Ferry Port will see an increase of about 7 percent in the number of people traveling for Eid Fitr.

While last year, 564,593 passengers, including users of both private and public vehicles, crossed Sunda Strait from Merak Ferry Port to Sumatra, this year, the number is estimated to reach 604,115.

According to Manager of PT ASDP Indonesia Ferry for Merak Nana Sutisna, to ensure hassle-free ferry services for travelers, his side has prepared 52 ferries.

"The 52 roll-on-roll-off (ro-ro) ships are in good condition and are ready to cater to passengers who want to cross Sunda Strait to celebrate the Lebaran holiday after the fasting month of Ramadan in their hometowns in Sumatra," Sutisna stated in Merak recently.

He further noted that the ships to be operated are worthy of sailing and in good condition. So they will provide comfortable services to passengers crossing the strait using the ferries.

Of the 52 ferries being prepared, 30 will be operated to cater to passengers, while the remaining 22 will be kept on standby. Those brought into operation will serve more than 95 trips.

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