TEMPO.CO, Jakarta- PT Angkutan Sungai Danau dan Pelabuhan (ASDP) Merak Main Branch will deploy 42 roll-on-roll-off ships to anticipate the spiking of passengers on homecoming and reverse flow of 2014 Eid. They’ve also prepared a parking space with the capacity of 500 cars.

Spokesman of PT ASDP Indonesia Ferry Merak Branch, Mario Sardadi, said that Eid’s homecoming flow in Merak Port becomes government priority every year. “We are optimistic in handling the increase in passenger numbers of Eid homecoming,” Mario told Tempo Tuesday, July 22 2014.

Port Business Manager of ASDP Merak Nana Sutisna said that her party have expanded parking spaces by utilizing former railroad parking lots. The capacity is capable in accommodating up to 650 cars.

A while ago, Syahbandar Port Authority Office Merak discovered several ships that have not completed their safety equipments. Whereas homecoming flow by ship is considered to be the highest in Indonesia.

However Syahbandar Merak still tolerates ship companies with a term that all safety equipments should be equipped. The term is given because the safety equipment that has not been equipped is considered not to be harmful to the safety of the passengers. “Navigation system, GPS, radar, safety anchor, depth instrument, eco sounder, etc should all function,” Heru said.

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