Hidden Operational Risks Threaten Indonesian Ferry Safety Despite Positive Passenger Perception Survey Results

Ilustration by AI

FORMOSA NEWS

While passengers and service users view ferry safety on Indonesia's busiest maritime corridor favorably, underlying technical vulnerabilities and inconsistent regulatory enforcement pose significant operational hazards. A 2026 study conducted by researchers Rudi Harun Irwansyah, Dedtri Anwar, Bharto Ari Raharjo, Syairi Anwar, Nursyamsu, and Yollanda Octavitri from Politeknik Pelayaran Banten reveals a critical gap between public perception and actual hardware reliability on the Merak-Bakauheni crossing. Published in the Formosa Journal of Social Sciences, the research demonstrates that high passenger compliance and satisfactory facility ratings conceal dangerous risks, including sudden main-engine failures during port maneuvering and frequent outages of shore-based navigation aids.

The Merak-Bakauheni crossing serves as the primary maritime link between the islands of Java and Sumatra, carrying massive volumes of passengers, private vehicles, and commercial logistics. Navigating through the Sunda Strait—a heavily congested choke point featuring an International Maritime Organization (IMO) approved Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS)—the route presents an inherently elevated baseline risk. Roll-on/Roll-off passenger (RoPax) ferries are particularly vulnerable because any technical failure during transit or maneuvering can lead to catastrophic collisions or groundings involving thousands of lives. Understanding whether safety systems depend on superficial compliance or true operational integrity is critical for national logistics security, public safety, and maritime policy.

To evaluate safety, security, and oversight across the corridor, the research team implemented a convergent parallel mixed-methods design. Fieldwork was conducted outside of peak holiday periods between September and November 2025 to examine routine, everyday operating conditions. The quantitative strand utilized a 43-item Likert-scale questionnaire distributed to 166 respondents across port personnel, ship crews, passengers, and harbourmaster officials. The qualitative strand combined direct field observations at port precincts and on board vessels with in-depth interviews of serving ship officers and regulatory personnel to verify operational conditions.

Statistical survey results initially present a reassuring picture, but qualitative findings expose vital operational vulnerabilities:

• High Perception of Facilities: Survey respondents rated the availability and adequacy of safety equipment as "very good" with a mean score of 4.21 out of 5.00. Life jackets and life rafts earned the highest facility satisfaction score at 4.38.
• Exemplary Passenger Compliance: Service user discipline achieved the highest overall survey mean of 4.25. Compliance with restrictions on remaining on vehicle decks during transit scored an exceptional 4.55, indicating that passenger behavior is no longer the primary safety threat.
• Divergent Technical Risks: Interviews with ferry deck officers revealed that vessels have experienced sudden main-engine failures while maneuvering within confined port basins. Passengers have no visibility into engine reliability, creating a false sense of security based on visible life-saving appliances.
• Weak Operational Oversight: Regulatory supervision recorded the lowest survey score at 4.08, with routine enforcement outside peak seasons dropping to 3.91. Crucially, field interviews confirmed that shore-based aids to navigation in the approaches to Merak frequently experience outages, increasing collision risks in dense traffic.
• Niche Crew Competence Gaps: While ship personnel demonstrated general professionalism, crew members acknowledged limited proficiency in maritime English—essential for communication in international shipping lanes—and gaps in managing complex emergency medical situations such as on-board childbirth.

The study proves that the core locus of maritime safety risk on major ferry crossings has shifted away from passenger misconduct and toward vessel hardware integrity and supervisory consistency. To prevent maritime casualties, port authorities must transition from seasonal oversight to continuous, randomized inspections of vessel machinery and enforcement of loading limits. Furthermore, maritime operators and regulatory agencies must prioritize immediate repairs to shore-based navigation infrastructure while expanding crew training to cover specialized medical emergencies and standardized maritime English.

Highlighting the real-world impact of these findings, lead author Rudi Harun Irwansyah and his colleagues at Politeknik Pelayaran Banten emphasized that high public satisfaction scores must not foster institutional complacency. They noted that passenger perception reflects only visible compliance, whereas true maritime safety depends on the invisible technical integrity of propulsion engines, active navigational aids, and consistent regulatory oversight.

Author Profiles

• Rudi Harun Irwansyah is a researcher and academic staff member at Politeknik Pelayaran Banten, specializing in maritime safety management, ferry operations, and port security protocols.
• Dedtri Anwar is a lecturer at Politeknik Pelayaran Banten, focusing his research on maritime transportation systems, navigation safety, and regulatory oversight.
• Bharto Ari Raharjo serves as a maritime expert and academic at Politeknik Pelayaran Banten, with expertise in vessel operations and port infrastructure management.
• Syairi Anwar is a researcher at Politeknik Pelayaran Banten, specializing in maritime human factors, crew training, and operational compliance.
• Nursyamsu is a faculty member at Politeknik Pelayaran Banten, focusing on traffic separation schemes, navigational risk assessment, and strait safety.
• Yollanda Octavitri is a maritime researcher at Politeknik Pelayaran Banten, specializing in qualitative research methods, passenger safety awareness, and service quality evaluation.

Source Information

Article Title: Beyond Perceived Compliance: A Mixed-Methods Evaluation of Safety and Security in Ferry Operations on the Merak-Bakauheni Crossing, Indonesia
Journal Name: Formosa Journal of Social Sciences (FJSS)
Publication Year: 2026 (Vol. 5, No. 3, pp. 153–170)
DOI : https://doi.org/10.55927/fjss.v5i3.16 

URL :  https://journalfjss.my.id/index.php/fjss/index