Merak, Banten
Merak, Banten Merak is a city and seaport in Cilegon, Banten, on the northwestern tip of Java, Indonesia. The port and town are named after the Green Peafowl, which once lived in the region, but is now very rare. The port is connected to Jakarta via the Jakarta-Merak Toll Road. A large thermal electric power plant is located close to Merak where coal barges handle large quantities of coal. A new LPG jetty handles liquid gases for distribution in Banten province, tankage has been built at Merak. The port is a key transport link between Java and Sumatra and is a major service provider for the heavy passenger and commercial ferry traffic from Merak to Bakauheni across the Sunda Strait on the southern tip of Sumatra. Ferry services are operated by PT Angkutan Sungai dan Penyeberangan. Growth in demand for ferry services has been rapid in recent years. The facilities at the port are now very badly overstretched. The ageing ferry fleet and poor supporting infrastructure are major restricti...