BALIK PULAU – Penang’s two main ferry terminals for the cross-channel passenger service are expected to be upgraded by July, two months ahead of schedule.
Penang Port Commission chairman Datuk Tan Teik Cheng said that the upgrading works at the Raja Tun Uda terminal in George Town and the Sultan Abdul Halim Terminal in Butterworth are now 90% done.
Additionally, five water transporter catamarans currently being built in Vietnam are expected to arrive by the fourth quarter of this year.
These vessels would be able to carry motorcyclists and cyclists as well.
The iconic double decker ferries which are now in disuse since early last year were able to accommodate cars, buses and lorries. They were replaced by the current catamarans for foot passengers only.
The old ferries are now in the process of being converted into a floating museum and restaurants. Two of them will soon be docked at the Tanjong City Marina as landmarks for tourism.
Tan said that the new terminals would resemble the lobby lounge of airports and would be fully air-conditioned to ensure that passengers are comfortable.
The temporary stoppage of the cross-channel ferry service is believed to be the first time in over a century, as the port operator Penang Port Sdn Bhd reconfigured its services by bearing in mind the preference of the motorists to use the two bridges.
The first ferry service between Penang Island and the mainland reportedly began in 1894.
It is believed to be one of the oldest heavy waterway transportation systems for a city in the region.
Since the economy reopened after the Covid-19 pandemic, there is a 30% increase in passengers, Tan said.
He told journalists this at the Hari Raya open house, organised by PPC at the Lexis Suites Hotel in Teluk Kumbar here.
He also spoke on the return of cruises in Penang with the move by the Genting Group to offer packages onboard the Genting Dream cruise ship, which would use Penang Port as its base for cruise activities between Penang and Phuket in Thailand.
Malaysian billionaire Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay is launching a new cruise line in Singapore, months after his Hong Kong-based Star Cruises Line empire imploded with the blame falling mostly on the ill effects of the pandemic.
Resorts World Cruises Pte Ltd will initially operate with one ship, Genting Dream. – The Vibes, May 27, 2022
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