REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, SAMPIT -- State-owned shipping line PT Pelni's branch office in Sampit, Central Kalimantan, has prepared three additional ships to ferry passengers during Lebaran along with the three regular ships that currently operate for the province.

"So far, three ships have been serving passengers regularly in Sampit. They are the Binaiya, Leuser and Sirimau ships. We will operate additional vessels to accommodate passengers during the Lebaran festivities this year. They are the Kelimutu, Lawit and Bukit Raya ships. These six ships will have 20 departures from D-15 to D-2," the head of the Sampit branch of PT Pelni, Lamson Ompusunggu, said on Tuesday.

He added that providing these extra ships was part of efforts made by Pelni in anticipation of a surge in the number of passengers who will depart from Sampit in Central Kalimantan to Semarang (Central Java) and Surabaya (East Java).

After all, Sampit port authorities predicted that there will be a 3.24 percent increase in the number of travelers as compared to that last year.

While passengers began to flow to the port last year on D-15, it was from D-7 to D-2 that it saw the peak rush. Therefore, it should be anticipated, Ompusunggu pointed out.

He further noted that having ships with a capacity to hold 1,324 to 1,527 passengers, all passengers can be transported. Also, there is another ship, Dharma Lautan Utama (owned by a different shipping line), which serves passengers at the port.

In addition, he emphasized that Pelni will obey the government's regulations on transportation capacity.

"We should not repeat our mistake last year, when a ship was loaded with 4,000 to 5,000 passengers. With the 20 departures we have planned, we can ferry all passengers based on the ships' capacity. During the peak flow period from D-15 to D-2 last year, Pelni transported 23,967 passengers. This year, based on the 3.24 percent increase predicted, Pelni's Sampit branch office is expected to transport some 25,000 travelers," Ompusunggu explained.

Moreover, the Sampit port administrator's office estimated that the number of passengers this year will increase by 3.24 percent. While the number of travelers increased to 29,119 last year, the port administrator predicted that it will reach 30,000 passengers this year.

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