Assessing Service Quality and Passenger Satisfaction: A Quantitative Study of Sea Transportation on the Padang Mentawai

Sea transportation is a vital component of the transportation network, with the Ship Sabuk Nusantara 68 serving as a key sea transport vessel under the Indonesian National Shipping Limited Liability Company (PT) (PELNI). Operating between Padang City and Mentawai Island, this passenger ship plays a crucial role in connecting these destinations. However, despite its importance, complaints regarding the quality of sea transportation services, particularly on the KMP Sabuk Nusantara 68 route between Padang and Mentawai, have been voiced by passengers.In response to these concerns, this research was conducted to assess the levels of service quality and passenger satisfaction. The study aimed to identify priority factors for enhancing service performance and passenger satisfaction. Employing a quantitative method, researchers utilized questionnaires as research instruments, with data analyzed using the Likert scale and the Important and Performance Analysis (IPA) methodology.The findings revealed that overall service quality was satisfactory, with passenger satisfaction levels reaching 89.12%. However, further improvements are still needed, particularly in areas such as ship cleanliness, which emerged as a critical aspect requiring immediate enhancement. Therefore, while passengers are generally content with the services provided, there is still room for improvement to ensure a consistently high level of service performance and passenger satisfaction.