The trucks carrying staple foods still got stuck at Merak seaport and Cikuasa Atas flyover here, a truck driver named Rohman told ANTARA on Sunday.
"I have been waiting for my turn since Saturday but my truck remains at the national water-crossing transportation operator PT ASDP Ferry Indonesia`s parking area until Sunday," he said.
Those trucks could not yet go on aboard the ferries sailing from Merak seaport in Java to Bakauheni port in Lampung province, Sumatra island, due to the bad weather, he said.
"According to the ASDP authority, if the weather remains unchanged, my truck can possibly be transported to Sumatra island on Monday," Rohman said.
The Merak seaport and ASDP authorities told the truck drivers that the extreme weather conditions had disrupted the departure and arrival timetables of the ferries, he said.
PT ASDP-Indonesia Ferry`s Operational Manager at Merak seaport, Endin Juhaendi, said the weather remained bad in the Sunda Strait.
As a result, ferries could not normally load and unload vehicles at the piers of Merak and Bakauheni seaports, he said.
"The high waves have made the ferries difficult to dock in the piers. This condition has affected the ferries` departure and arrival schedules," Juhaendi said.
A similar situation also prevailed on January 9 in which several hundreds of trucks could neither go on aboard the ferries sailing from Merak seaport in Java to Bakauheni port.
A truck driver named Chandra Maga said the ASDP authorities still prioritized private cars and trucks loaded with quickly-rotten goods such as fruits and vegetables.
"The trucks loaded with vegetables, fruits, and other sorts of vulnerable agricultural products remain prioritized by the ASDP authorities," Maga said.
However, other trucks had to wait for their turn, he said.
Due to this unexpected situation, lots of truck drivers, like Chandra Maga, had to spend extra money on their daily needs, such as meals and accommodation during the waiting time.(*)
Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
