PT Pelayaran Nasional Indonesia (Persero), or Pelni, predicts that the number of passengers using its ships during the 2023/2024 Christmas and New Year (Nataru) holiday period will reach 598,276.
This passenger number is projected to increase by 17% compared to the 2022/2023 Nataru period, which saw 431,008 passengers.
Pelni's President Director, Tri Andayani, detailed that the majority, or 40%, of Pelni's total passengers during the 2023/2024 Nataru period will be in East Indonesia, followed by 35% in Central Indonesia, and 25% in West Indonesia.
"For Nataru sea transportation, Pelni divides it into three phases: pre-Christmas (December 11-24, 2023), the Nataru phase (December 25-31, 2023), and the post-Nataru phase (January 1-8, 2024)," said Tri Andayani during a meeting with Commission VI of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI) on Monday (December 4, 2023).
Andayani estimates that the busiest departures this year will be from Makassar, Batam, Ambon, Jayapura, and Tanjung Priok.
The busiest arrivals are expected in Makassar, Ambon, Belawa, Surabaya, and Batam.
To anticipate the surge in passengers, Pelni is increasing the frequency of trips on 3 out of its 12 passenger ships and adding two support vessels.
Pelni is also undertaking preparations such as ramp checks, monitoring fuel availability, and ensuring that all ship fleets are operational during the peak season.
"No ships will be undergoing docking during this period, and we ensure that all our ships are seaworthy and operationally sound," said Andayani.