LABUAN — Measures introduced under a Vehicle Ferry Operations Task Force have significantly improved traffic flow and reduced delays at the Labuan Ferry Terminal ahead of the festive season.
Labuan Corporation Chief Executive Officer, Rithuan Mohd Ismail, said conditions at the terminal have improved following an on-site inspection conducted on March 18, with traffic at the entry route now under control and running smoothly.
He said among the key measures implemented was the temporary closure of the immigration drive-through kiosk, which had been identified by the Marine Department and ferry operators as a major cause of delays of between 30 and 40 minutes.
“The addition of more customs inspection teams has also helped speed up the process of loading vehicles onto ferries,” he said.
As a result, he noted that the average ferry departure delay has been reduced to below 10 minutes, compared with 30 to 60 minutes previously.
Rithuan also stressed that vehicles arriving late will no longer be accommodated, as loading of “waiting list” vehicles will begin immediately after the scheduled cut-off time.
However, he said on-ground observations revealed that some motorists were still causing congestion by failing to move forward, preventing vehicles behind from boarding.
“The Task Force Committee has decided that Traffic Police will take appropriate action against such drivers,” he added.
To further ease congestion, he said an additional parking area has been designated for waiting list vehicles between the Public Bank Berhad building and the Skylux Duty Free building.
In anticipation of increased demand during the festive period, Rithuan said ferry operators have also been instructed to add more trips.
He said Labuan Mainland Link will operate 26 additional trips between March 17 and March 30, while Juta Bonus will add six extra trips from March 20 to March 22.
“Monitoring and improvements will continue to ensure smooth operations and passenger comfort throughout the festive season,” he said.
Also present during the inspection were Deputy Chief Executive Officer Fadzilah Mahmud, along with senior officers from Labuan Corporation’s Investment Unit and Development and Engineering Department.
