No speedboats plying Sunda Strait crossing

The Jakarta Post, Thu, 02/12/2009 2:34 PM 

 

JAKARTA: The Merak Bakauheni Port Authority in Banten has temporarily banned express boats from serving the Bakauheni-Merak crossing due to bad weather in the Sunda Strait.

 

Merak harbor official H. Warsito said Wednesday fast boats were barred from going because the waves were still more than 2 meters high on the strait.

 

He added that with current high seas, as well as strong winds and rains, speedboat trips were dangerous.

 

Passengers have been forced to take the much slower ferries, which are operating less frequently than usual.

 

"The bad weather has forced us to only operate up to 20 ferries, from the normal number of between 23 and 25," he said as quoted by Antara.

 

The crossing takes three to four hours by ferry, compared to 45 minutes by speedboat.