‘What’s next? Bus fare?’ Batam Ferry surcharge increase sparks fears of other fares rising

SINGAPORE: A S$6 fuel surcharge was announced by a number of operators of ferries that ply routes from Singapore and Batam, Indonesia. According to Horizon Fast Ferry, Majestic Fast Ferry, and Batam Fast, the surcharge was imposed beginning from March 12 and applies to all tickets, even those that were purchased before the announcement was made.
The additional fee will be charged at ticket counters.

From Batam to Singapore, meanwhile, a surcharge of IDR65,000 (almost S$5) will be collected.

The reason given for the increase in fuel surcharge was the rising price of oil due to the conflict in the Middle East, which has significantly disrupted the supply of oil across the globe. The conflict has caused the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for 20 per cent of the world’s oil.

Because Asia is largely dependent on oil from the region, it has been especially affected. In Singapore, for example, fuel prices have risen for the fifth consecutive day.

The route between Batam and Singapore is a popular one, as Batam is considered an affordable weekend getaway for many Singaporeans. It has had around 200,000 passengers per month, or 6,000 to 7,000 passengers a day. On weekends and holidays, numbers go a lot higher. Round-trip tickets used to be around S$40, but since the Covid pandemic, they can go as high as S$70.

Tan See Leng, the Minister-in-charge of Energy and Science & Technology, wrote in a March 12 (Thursday) Facebook post, “With the global environment becoming less certain and stable, fuel disruptions and price fluctuations are more frequent. These effects are felt in Singapore, where we import all of the natural gas needed to fuel about 95 per cent of our electricity generation.”

Perhaps seeing the cost of fuel rising daily, a number of Singaporeans online have expressed dismay over the announcement of the fuel surcharge on Batam-Singapore ferries, as well as worries over other fares following suit.

“What’s next? 1. Bus fare 2. Taxi fare 3. Private Hire fare 4. MRT fare,” asked a Facebook user.

“Better get more oil for your bicycle chains,” another warned.

Another said they were “Wondering when taxi fares and private hirer platforms fares will go up.”

“Wow… now ferry tickets will cost $80,” one worried.

“Already ticket price so high, still got the audacity to impose S$6 fuel surcharge. Good luck to their businesses,” a commenter observed, adding, “Even more people will start going to JB, especially once RTS starts at the end of this year.”

“No choice for those having families over there,” wrote another.

Still, some wrote that the fuel surcharge was fair, given the need for petrol. /TISG

Read also: With the hovercraft-like AirFish Voyager, you can get from SG to Batam in 30 minutes