"All our shipping lines have been closed since Jan 24 until weather conditions improve," Kupang General Manager PT ASDP Indonesia Ferry, Burhan Zahim, informed Antara in Kupang on Saturday (26/1).
Zahim explained that dozens of shipping lines were temporarily closed, both connecting the city of Kupang with the district and between the districts in the province based on these islands.
He noted that only the Kupang-Semau route is still being served, as the distance is relatively less.
According to Zahim, all ferry crossing services will be closed until weather conditions in the sea improve in line with information from the local Geophysical Climatology Agency (BMKG).
"It has not yet been confirmed that the services have been reopened, as the weather has been better according to the BMKG," he noted.
Earlier, the BMKG El Tari Kupang Station reminded shipping operators to be wary of waves as high as two to seven meters in the marine waters of NTT.
He said, waves as high as seven meters could potentially arise in the waters of Sawu Sea, the southern sea waters of Sumba Island, the southern Indian Ocean of NTT, the waters south of Kupang, the Timor sea south of NTT, and Rote Island.
Waves as high as six meters arise in the waters north of Flores and the Sumba Strait. In addition, five-meter-high waves could also potentially arise in the Sape Strait waters.
Waves as high as two to four meters can potentially arise in the Ombai Strait, Wetar Strait, Flores Strait, Lakakera Strait, Boling Strait, and Alor Strait.
