ASDP accelerates Ketapang–Gilimanuk pier upgrades ahead of the 2027 deadline

In brief: Indonesia's ferry operator ASDP is upgrading a pier at each end of the Java–Bali crossing, with contractual completion scheduled for March 2027; it hopes to bring some of the additional capacity into use during the December 2026 holiday period, although the two piers have different operating targets.

The project concerns the established Ketapang–Gilimanuk route, an important link for people travelling with vehicles and for goods moving between Java and Bali. The construction announcement should not be confused with an increase in ferry capacity already available to customers.

New berthing options at both ends of the crossing

At Ketapang in Banyuwangi, East Java, ASDP is converting Pier V from a pontoon facility into a permanent movable-bridge berth. At Gilimanuk in western Bali, the company is strengthening Pier II. In its October 2 report, ANTARA said both upgrades are designed to accommodate vessels of up to 5,000 gross tonnage (GT), with a pier load specification of 50 tonnes.

The Gilimanuk works had begun by August 21, according to ASDP's September 1 announcement. That earlier release described an increase in Pier II's load capacity from 30 to 50 tonnes. GT measures a ship's enclosed volume; it is not a weight limit for a truck. The pier-load figure and the vessel specification address different aspects of the project.

ASDP's stated aim is greater flexibility when assigning ships and handling heavier road freight. The improvements do not, on their own, establish how many extra sailings will be offered or how long vehicles will wait to board.

December is an early-use target, not the overall completion date

On October 2, ASDP technical director Nana Sutisna said the contracted construction deadline was March 2027. He also described efforts to accelerate the work so the crossing could benefit earlier during the Christmas 2026 and New Year 2027 travel season.

A separate October 2 report from the Banyuwangi local government provided a more specific sequence following its meeting with ASDP the previous day. Gilimanuk's Pier II is targeted for functional operation in December 2026, while the upgraded Ketapang Pier V is scheduled to become operational in March 2027. The December milestone would be a partial operational step, not confirmation that both sides of the scheme are finished.

Neither report stated that the upgraded berths had already opened. The published dates remain targets, and the material reviewed does not provide an approved opening timetable or a quantified reduction in waiting times.

Freight and vehicle trips still depend on current operations

Additional berthing flexibility could eventually help ASDP allocate suitable ferries and road vehicles more efficiently. It will not remove every source of delay: available vessels, loading arrangements, road access and conditions in the strait all affect how quickly the crossing operates.

For businesses supplying Bali by road, the December target is relevant to future logistics planning, but present delivery schedules still need to reflect the service actually running. Drivers taking their own vehicles between the islands should likewise rely on current operator notices and confirmed sailing arrangements rather than assume the construction will shorten a particular journey. Earlier traffic queues on the route are a separate operational issue and do not establish whether these new berths are ready.

• Banyuwangi Regency Government, “ASDP dan Pemkab Banyuwangi Bahas Solusi Antrean Pelabuhan Ketapang,” October 2, 2026.
• PT ASDP Indonesia Ferry, “ASDP Perkuat Kapasitas Dermaga Gilimanuk, Tingkatkan Keandalan Layanan Penyeberangan Jawa–Bali,” September 1, 2026.