PPSB waiting for approval to redevelop Swettenham Pier Cruise Terminal

GEORGE TOWN: Penang Port Sdn Bhd (PPSB) is now waiting for approval from the federal and state governments to begin its redevelopment masterplan of the Swettenham Pier Cruise Terminal (SPCT).
PPSB acting chief executive officer (CEO) Sasedharan Vasudevan said the proposal and other important documents for the redevelopment of the cruise terminal have been submitted to the authorities.
It is currently waiting for approval from the authorities to begin the redevelopment.
Sasedharan said he estimated the project will begin in the third quarter of this year if the authorities approve the project soon.
He said the extension of the cruise terminal berth is the most important part of the project as there are many large cruise ships which carry 3,000 to 4,000 passengers, who make frequent stops at Penang.
Vasudevan said the next phase of the project is the extension of the SPCT building itself as PPSB plans to expand the passenger handling capacity in the building from 8,000 to 12,000 passengers.
He said there are no plans to redevelop the old godowns and the warehouse along the pier as the two buildings belong to the Transport Ministry and Penang Port Commision (PPC).
Sasedharan said PPSB have sent a few staffers to the annual Sea Tradeshow in Miami, USA to promote Penang and to cement a business development relationships with other cruise terminals around the world.
He said Penang is strategically located between the East and West and is also surrounded by tourist spots such as Thailand and Malacca.
Penang is a UNESCO Heritage City which is also a reason why many cruise ships stopover at the cruise terminal.