LANGKAWI – The public can expect more Langkawi ferry breakdowns if water debris and high siltation management in sea lanes leading to Kuala Perlis and Kuala Kedah jetties are not addressed properly and quickly, a local businessman observed.
Langkawi Business Association deputy president Datuk Isaac Alexander told The Vibes that lately, there is a high amount of siltation in the waters, which are ruining the engines of the ferries plying the route.
The problem would ultimately lead to more ferries breaking down – which is costly not only to the operators but also to the public at large and Langkawi’s tourism industry in general.
This would mean that the jetties servicing Langkawi would see a repeat of yesterday’s incident, where hundreds of irate passengers had overcrowded Kuah Jetty for hours, while waiting for a ferry that had broken down.
Alexander, who operates the Tropical Charters Sdn Bhd cruise services, said that this problem must be addressed by the marine authorities who need to conduct more dredging at the sea lanes leading to the Kuala Perlis and Kuala Kedah jetties.
“The silts are ruining many boat engines, because the mud gets into the system and disrupts the motors which power the vessels.
“I’m not sure what causes the high rate of siltation in the river streams, but these streams flow into the berthing areas for the Langkawi ferries,” said Alexander.
However, the businessman suspects that the debris and mud could be brought downriver due to land clearing and soil erosion upstream.
To add salt to the wound, the issue has been made even more complicated by the “sheer amount of waste” littering the ocean where these ferry operators ply their trade.
It seems that mud and silt are not the only snags faced by the ferry services – there are also other garbage, ranging from plastics to deadwood as well as other random debris, that are capable of damaging the vessels.
“If the people are not accountable about waste management, it will come back to haunt them,” Alexander said.
Nominal fare hike for tourists coming from outside Langkawi should be allowed to help operators maintain ferries: Alexander
The Marine Department’s Northern Director Mohd Hafiz Abdul Majid had confirmed the breakdown yesterday, saying that it involved a big ferry vessel.
Some of the over 400 passengers only arrived at their Kuala Perlis destination close to midnight last night, as other ferry operators provided another vessel to assist them.
Ferries are one of the two main transportation modes for tourists heading to Langkawi, with the other being flight.
The ferry service operates daily between 7am and 8pm, but its schedule is driven by demand rather than a fixed schedule.
Currently, the consortium of five ferry operators has a fleet of about eight ferries servicing the routes of Kuala Perlis, Kuala Kedah and Penang.
“The movement control orders had caused more siltation to occur in many berthing sites in the northern region, as dredging was halted during the lockdowns,” said Alexander, while urging marine authorities to expedite dredging efforts to clear the sea lanes of mud and debris.
He also suggested that the request by the consortium for a nominal hike in fares be allowed, as it can help the operators to better maintain their vessels.
“Fares for Langkawi-based islanders should be subsidised, but for those living outside of Langkawi, they may need to pay more for their ferry fare.”
He added that Langkawi is now quite packed with domestic tourists due to the long Lunar New Year break, during which many companies have accorded up to seven days of leave. – The Vibes, February 3, 2022
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