Pelindo projects 39.7% drop in Benoa Lebaran passengers

Denpasar — Passenger traffic at Benoa Port during the 2026 Lebaran travel period is projected to fall about 39.7 percent year-on-year, with state-owned port operator Pelindo estimating around 4,480 passengers between 7 March and 7 April 2026, down from 7,424 in 2025 according to local media reports citing company data.

The projection is based on eight passenger-ship calls and breaks down into 2,664 departing passengers (embarkations) and 1,816 arriving passengers (debarkations. The figures refer to scheduled passenger services using Pelni vessels and do not include cruise-ship operations.

Pelindo Regional Bali Nusa Tenggara attributes the expected decline to route adjustments by shipping operators, with some vessels that typically call at Benoa reassigned to busier homecoming corridors connecting other regions of Indonesia. Company representatives have linked the weaker Lebaran passenger volumes in Bali to the island’s largely non-Muslim population and correspondingly lower levels of Eid homecoming travel compared with other provinces.

Services and projected traffic

During the 2026 Lebaran period, passenger movements at Benoa are scheduled to be handled by Pelni’s Denpasar branch using three motor vessels: KM Awu, KM Binaiya and KM Tilongkabila, according to reports citing Pelindo and Pelni officials. A fourth ship, KM Leuser, has been diverted to a different, higher-demand route, reducing capacity on the Benoa services despite the forecast of eight ship calls in 2026 versus seven in 2025.

Key figures from the projection and comparison period reported in Indonesian media include:

• 2026 projection: 4,480 passengers and eight passenger-ship calls.
• 2026 embarkations: 2,664 departing passengers.
• 2026 debarkations: 1,816 arriving passengers.
• 2025 comparison: 7,424 passengers and seven passenger-ship calls.
• 2025 embarkations and debarkations: 5,338 and 2,086 passengers, respectively.
• Year-on-year change: a projected 39.7 percent decrease in passenger traffic for the 2026 Lebaran period.

Based on observed travel patterns and ticket sales, Pelindo expects passenger flows to peak in mid-March 2026, with the highest projected daily total of 948 passengers on 16 March and another busy day of 876 passengers on 14 March.

Port preparations

Pelindo has stated that the lower forecast volume will not reduce its operational preparations for Lebaran at Benoa. According to published statements, the operator plans to optimize use of the passenger terminal, coordinate closely with the Benoa Harbormaster and Port Authority Office, Pelni and other agencies, and deploy additional operational staff during the monitoring period.

Media reports citing Pelindo also highlight measures aimed at safety, security and passenger comfort, including the establishment of a Lebaran travel post at the domestic departure terminal. The post is scheduled to operate during the core holiday travel window in March 2026, supporting information, crowd management and emergency response functions.

Context

The 2026 projection compares expected passenger movements at Benoa from 7 March to 7 April with recorded traffic during the 2025 Lebaran period, when seven passenger-ship calls carried 7,424 passengers through the port. Despite adding one more ship call in 2026, Pelindo’s data indicate fewer passengers, reflecting the impact of vessel redeployments and comparatively modest demand for Eid homecoming travel from Bali.

Nationally, Pelindo has forecast an increase in total Lebaran passenger numbers across its network of passenger terminals in 2026 compared with 2025. In that context, Benoa’s projected decline underscores the uneven distribution of homecoming traffic, with Bali’s sea-lane flows lagging more heavily travelled routes in other regions.

Sources

• atnews.id
• Jatimpedia
• Pelindo official release (PDF)
• Tribun Bali