GEORGE TOWN – The Swettenham Pier Cruise Terminal is expected to record a 70.6% drop in passengers compared to its operations in 2019, said state Infrastructure and Transport Committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari today.
“In 2019, the terminal saw 733,789 passengers but this year, it will only see 212,627 passengers.”
This is yet another industry to be hit by the coronavirus pandemic.
Previously, the Malaysian cruise tourism sector was the third largest in Asia, with the port in George Town being the top choice of domestic and foreign visitors.
Zairil also said the pandemic has affected all port services – container handling, conventional cargo handling and the cruise industry.
“Conventional cargo handling performance in 2019 was at 7,167,415 freight weight tonnes (FWT). This year, Penang Port Sdn Bhd will only handle 5,934,435 FWT,” he said at the state assembly today.
This represents a drop of about 17.2%.
Zairil (Tg Bungah-Pakatan Harapan) was asked by Dr Afif Bahardin (Seberang Jaya-Bersatu) on the performance of state’s port industry since the Covid-19 pandemic.
Penang to date has recorded 636 Covid-19 cases and two main clusters – Penang remand prison and Seberang Prai prison. – The Vibes October 19, 2020
