TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - PT ASDP Indonesia Ferry (Persero) will temporarily close the Ketapang-Gilimanuk and Padangbai-Lembar crossing services to and from Bali Island starting Monday, March 11, at 5am WITA until Tuesday, March 12, at 6am WITA, Antara news agency reported.

The closure will be carried out in order to welcome Bali’s Day of Silence or Nyepi Day 1946 Saka Year which falls on Monday.

"To honor Hindus who celebrate the Holy Day of Silence, especially on the island of Bali where the majority of the people are Hindus, ASDP will close the operational services of ASDP-owned ports and crossings which are one of the gates in and out of Bali Island," said PT ASDP Indonesia Ferry (Persero) Corporate Secretary Shelvy Arifin in a statement received by Indonesia Window here on Friday.

Shelvy said the closure of the two passes to and from Bali Island followed the Joint Appeal on the Implementation of the Holy Days of Nyepi New Year Caka 1946, signed by religious leaders and community leaders, who are members of the Religious Harmony Forum (FKUB) of Bali Province and the Head of the Regional Office of the Ministry of Religious Affairs of Bali Province.

The joint appeal, signed on February 2, 2024, was also known to the Head of the Bali Regional Police, the Commander of the 163/Wira Satya Military Resort Command, and the Acting Governor of Bali.

Crossing services from Ketapang Port in Banyuwangi, East Java will be closed beginning on Monday, March 11, at 1am WITA, and the last regular ship service from Ketapang Port on Sunday, March 10, at 11pm WITA.

To anticipate service users who have not been transported from Gilimanuk Port, in western Bali Island, it is continued by the command post ship/extra ship which will operate until 5am WITA, before the Gilimanuk Port is closed.

The first ship from Ketapang Port will depart on Tuesday, March 12, at 5am WIB. Furthermore, the last boat departure from Padangbai Port in Bali to Lembar Port in Lombok Island, before Nyepi begins is on Monday, March 11, 3.30am WITA. Meanwhile, the first departure after Nyepi Day is on Tuesday, March 12, at 10am WITA.

ASDP also urges all service users to arrange their travel schedules according to the port's operational schedule. ASDP has also instructed shipping operators operating on both routes to socialize the temporary closure of crossing activities to service users.

"Given the absence of 24-hour service, it is hoped that service users can pay more attention to their arrival at the port. Confirm the ship's departure schedule and immediately purchase tickets in advance, considering that ticket purchases can now be made since H-60," Shelvy also said.

ANTARA

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