BUKIT MERTAJAM: All six iconic Penang ferries, which are no longer in use, may be disposed of if no parties are interested in taking over or refurbishing them, says Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow.
He said this was due to the deteriorating and decaying structure of the ferries, which were no longer suitable for transportation services.
“I was informed that the bottom parts of the ferries have also decayed. If no one is interested in taking them over, they cannot be kept there forever,“ he told reporters after officiating the closing ceremony of the UDA 2024@Penang Carnival at the Gravitas car park in Jalan Baru Prai here today.
Previously, the Penang Port Commission (SPPP) opened a Request For Proposal (RFP) to repurpose the iconic ferries.
Chow said that at present, two iconic ferries might still be salvageable – one with the developer Ideal Property and another that would be turned into a ferry museum based at Tanjung Marina.
“SPPP has received numerous proposals from companies to keep the ferries in service, but after reviewing the costs, it is not feasible to maintain them for public transportation. However, other uses can be considered.
“Additionally, the ferry terminal has been modified to accommodate the new ferry services that are currently operating,“ he said.
Previously, SPPP chairman Datuk Yeoh Soon Hin said the commission had decided to dispose the iconic ferries due to severe decay and the inability to carry out repairs as they could not be floated.
The decision came following the incident involving the iconic ferry, ‘Pulau Kapas’, which sank at the Sultan Abdul Halim Ferry Terminal in Butterworth, due to leaks last Wednesday, and could not be repaired.
SPPP had leased the iconic ferries, including Pulau Kapas, to several qualified companies to be turned into state tourism products in 2021. However, the plan to convert Pulau Kapas into a floating restaurant failed due to non-compliance with the leasing agreement, leading to the termination of the lease in February 2023.
The iconic Penang ferry service was terminated in 2020 after operating for over 126 years and was replaced by fast boats for individual passengers and ferries for motorcycles and bicycles.
