GEORGE TOWN – The Pulau Pinang ferry, which was taking in water at the Sg Prai dockyard, was last night refloated and will be berthed at the Tg City marina here, where it will be turned into a museum.
Penang Port Commission (PPC) chairman Datuk Tan Teik Cheng in a Facebook post said the vessel was refloated at 10pm in a joint operation by PPC, Penang Port Sdn Bhd and a management company.
He said a team will continue to monitor the ferry’s condition and conduct thorough checks to prevent it from sinking again.
Last Sunday, Tan told The Vibes that the vessel has been parked at the dockyard since November 27, 2019 for repairs.
“The repair process was disrupted because we failed to obtain spare parts, which need to be specially ordered from the Netherlands.
“The overhaul process is challenging because we have to wait until the water recedes to pump it out of the ferry.”
The ferry will be turned into a museum due to its name, he said.
Tan said there are three unused ferries at the Sultan Abdul Halim terminal in Butterworth, with two to serve as tourist ferries and one converted into a floating restaurant.
Public outcry was swift after photos of the double-decker Pulau Pinang left to sink were widely shared online, with netizens berating Penang’s port authorities and maintenance crew.
The state’s ferry service, which has connected the island with the mainland in Seberang Prai for 126 years, was replaced with high-speed passenger boats on January 1.
It is understood that PPC last month provided a transport ferry for bicycle and motorcycle users. – The Vibes, June 9, 2021
