Homecoming Travellers Have Begun to Flock at Tanjung Priok Harbor
25 June 2016 19:06 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Around 800 homecoming travellers bound for Eastern Indonesia have begun their trip from Jakarta's Tanjung Priok Harbour on Saturday, June 25. 2016. "Today, KM Doloronda has docked and will be ready to transport homecoming passengers bound for Indonesia's eastern regions," said a staff for the Ministry of Transport, Daryono, to Tempo at Jakarta's Tanjung Priok Harbour.
Daryono said that after departing from Jakarta, KM Doloronda will dock at several ports on its' way to Tanjung Pinang, with stops scheduled at Surabaya and Makassar. According to Daryono, the number of passengers that passengers that pass through Tanjung Priok Harbour usually increases on Saturdays - in part, due to KM Doloronda's arrival.
Daryono said that the congestion that can usually be seen at airports and roads during the Homecoming season are not usually seen across Indonesia's ports and harbours, because passengers can't choose the date that they want to travel on as freely as they could on airplanes and cars - as they must follow the ship's cruise schedules.
Furthermore, congestion is even less likely to occur as the Transport Ministry have launched online ticket sales - so prospective passengers do not need to wait at terminals to purchase their tickets.
In addition to KM Doloronda, KM Kelud - which is bound for Batam and Tanjung Balai - is also due to depart on Saturday. Both KM Doloronda and KM Kelud docks at Tanjung Priok Harbour once every week.
Soon, KM Lawit - which will be serving passengers that are bound for Tanjung Pandan, Pontianak, and Surabaya - will dock at Tanjung Priok Harbour, and this particular ship docks at Tanjung Priok twice each month.
Other destinations served through Tanjung Priok Harbour include Belawan, Biak, Blinyu, Bitung, Jayapura, Pontianak, Kupang and several other port cities across Indonesia.
Andrian, a 27-years old passenger aboard KM Doloronda, said that he prefers to travel back home on ships because it is cheaper than other means of returning to his hometown of Makassar. "The ticket for KM Doloronda is cheaper than a return ticket to Makassar," he said.
AVIT HIDAYAT