"In a remarkable display of humanitarian assistance, the Indonesian Navy has deployed two of its landing platform dock warships to provide free transportation for residents returning home for Eid al-Fitr celebrations. This initiative aims to ease the burden on travellers and alleviate severe congestion plaguing road networks during the annual ‘mudik’ exodus. Mudik is an Indonesian tradition of returning to one’s hometown during major holidays, most notably Eid al-Fitr, the festival of breaking fast, involving mass migrations from cities back to rural areas. Footage captured on Wednesday shows the KRI Banda Aceh-593, an amphibious warfare ship typically used for military operations and disaster relief, at Tanjung Emas Port in Semarang. The vessel is part of the government’s mudik gratis (Free Homecoming) programme, transporting thousands of residents and their motorcycles from Jakarta to Central and East Java for the Eid festivities. Passenger Yuli shared, "Previously, I used the Ministry of Transportation's facilities to go to Solo; this is my first time travelling on a warship." "The implementation of this free mudik uses Indonesian Navy warships with the following route: Jakarta to Semarang, then continuing on to Surabaya. For this year's mudik, the Navy is deploying two warships: KRI Banda Aceh and KRI Semarang," explained Commander of Semarang Naval Base, Marine Colonel Sabprowanto. Passenger Indah expressed her delight, saying, "I hope this free mudik programme continues every year to make it easier for motorcyclists to join the homecoming trip." The warships, repurposed to carry passengers from major ports to destinations across the archipelago, offer a safe and cost-free alternative for those facing soaring prices of land and air travel during the holiday rush. For many families, this opportunity to travel by sea aboard a naval vessel has transformed a stressful journey into a memorable adventure. This year, the Indonesian Navy is deploying two warships to transport thousands of travellers for the 2026 Eid homecoming, targeting routes from Jakarta to Semarang, Surabaya, and Bangka Belitung."