ASDP Actions Ease Gilimanuk–Ketapang Queues, Live Wait Times Unclear

Jembrana, Bali — — PT ASDP Indonesia Ferry (Persero) says traffic at Gilimanuk Port has returned to controlled conditions following earlier severe congestion, with queues on the Bali side reduced to very short distances or cleared at key points in March and again in September 2026, according to company statements and regional media reports.

ASDP reported that during the Nyepi period in March 2026, vehicle queues at Gilimanuk were successfully reduced to zero at the tollgate on the night of Wednesday, 18 March, shortly before a scheduled shutdown of ferry operations in respect of the religious holiday, according to statements by ASDP deputy chief executive Yossianis Marciano carried by several Indonesian outlets.

In those March operations, ASDP attributed the earlier congestion to a sharp increase in vehicle movements ahead of the temporary suspension of crossings and a reduction in available vessels.

The company said it responded by deploying dozens of ships, accelerating turnaround with a tight arrive–unload–depart pattern and expanding the use of buffer areas, while coordinating traffic management with police, the Ministry of Transportation and local authorities.

ASDP data for the 24-hour period of 18 March 2026 at Gilimanuk recorded more than 74,000 passengers and over 23,000 vehicles, including around 1,000 trucks, reflecting the intensity of the Nyepi-period traffic.

September queues and additional vessels

Separate reports from September 2026 describe a later period of disruption on the Ketapang–Gilimanuk route linked to vessel availability and logistics traffic.

Public broadcaster RRI reported that on 6 September, queues at Ketapang Port in Banyuwangi reached about three kilometres, with lines extending to Sri Tanjung terminal, while on the Bali side vehicle queues towards Gilimanuk were around 1.6 kilometres.

By 8–9 September, RRI and other outlets reported that congestion had begun to ease after ASDP increased the number of operating vessels, with no tailback recorded at Ketapang and only several hundred metres of queue remaining near Gilimanuk’s gate.

ASDP executives later identified the surge in logistics trucks and constraints at several berths as key drivers of the August–early September congestion, noting that additional ships were deployed and operating patterns adjusted to help clear the backlog.

Further RRI coverage from 18–19 September said ASDP increased the deployed fleet on the Ketapang–Gilimanuk crossing to around two dozen vessels to accelerate the dispersal of remaining queues and restore more normal flows.

Operational status and travel guidance

Across the March and September episodes, ASDP has consistently described ferry operations in the Bali Strait as stable and under control once the additional vessels and traffic-management measures were in place.

However, publicly available reports do not provide a live, independently verified estimate of current waiting times or ticket availability at Gilimanuk and Ketapang for late September 2026.

The reports also do not indicate any ongoing closure of the route, nor do they mention a general cap on passenger numbers or broad restrictions on vehicle types beyond temporary operational adjustments used to manage peak demand.

Travellers intending to use the Bali–Java crossing are therefore advised to follow instructions from port officers on arrival and to check ASDP’s official information channels before departure for real-time updates on queues, sailing intervals and ticketing conditions.

Sources

• SinPo.id – "Cepat Berbenah, ASDP Berhasil Kendalikan Arus Padat Pelabuhan Gilimanuk"
• Dialeksis.com – "ASDP Pastikan Gilimanuk Terkendali, Lonjakan Kendaraan Tembus 40 Persen"
• ASDP – "ASDP Kerahkan Layanan Maksimal, Antrean Padat Mengalir Menuju Pelabuhan Gilimanuk"
• RRI Singaraja – "ASDP Tambah Armada untuk Urai Antrean Kendaraan Ketapang-Gilimanuk"
• WartaTrans.com – "ASDP Ungkap Penyebab Antrean Ketapang-Gilimanuk"