: Major news in Indonesia on July 2: Long Lines Plague Indonesia’s Merak Port

Major news in <Jakarta Globe> : Long Lines Plague Indonesia’s Merak Port

July 02, 2012

Merek. Truck traffic came to a standstill at the typically congested road to Merak Port, in Banten, West Java, on Monday as truck drivers say in a four-kilometer-long queue for more than ten hours.

A man on a motorcycle maneuvers his way through trucks stuck in traffic, about 8 km (5 miles) from Merak port near Cilegon, Banten province in this May 31, 2012 file photo, as trucks line up to board the ferry to take them across to the island of Sumatra. (Reuters Photo/Beawiharta)

Long lines have plagued the port for the past five days as truck traffic increases ahead of the school holiday season. On Sunday, the queue reached six kilometers.

“We expect the Merek [traffic] conditions to return to normal this afternoon,” General manager of port operator Inland Waterland Transportation Service (ASDP) Supriyono said on Monday.

One of the port’s loading docks is currently under-going repairs, he said. The port has provided 21 additional ferries to try to mitigate the congestion.

“We want trucks drivers to be patient and line up in order, so the traffic will be smooth,” Supriyono said.

Some drivers have spent 15 hours waiting in line and were still at least a kilometer from the entrance.

“We’ll probably be able to cross to Sumatra later this afternoon as we’re still one kilometer from the port,” Nurhadi, one of drivers, said. / Antara

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