Ferry travel with all the mod cons

Tan says that Penangites and travellers can enjoy the new ferry service by next year.

FIVE ferries are now being tailor-made in the Netherlands to service commuters travelling between Penang island and the mainland.

The shipwrights are from Damen Shipyards in the city of Gorinchem B.V., a family-owned business that has built over 6,000 ships since 1927.

Penang Port Commission (PPC) chairman Datuk Tan Teik Cheng said Damen Shipyards won the open tender to rejuvenate the Penang ferry service.

A total of 36 companies — 23 local and 13 foreign -- vied for the chance to give the Penang ferry service a complete makeover.

Tan said Damen Shipyards won the tender with its unique proposal after nine local and four foreign companies sent in their technical proposals.

The Dutch company successfully ran the gauntlet of many layers of technical committees plus the board of directors. An independent consultant then scrutinised the tender process.

This rejuvenation effort, he said in a statement, became possible after the Transport Ministry injected a vital boost of RM30mil.

“The RM30mil from the Federal Government is strictly for the purchase of the five ferries.

“Any additional cost will be borne by the port operator Penang Port Sdn Bhd (PPSB),” said Tan.

He assured Penangites and travellers that they could enjoy the new ferry service by next year unless Covid-19 hampered the effort further.

Tan said PPSB was doing its part by preparing the ferry terminals on both the island and mainland to make them fully air-conditioned, complete with retail facilities, restaurants and hawker centres.

“There will even be free WiFi, facilities for the disabled, phone-charging stations, elevators among others.

“The upgrading of the ferry terminals will be completed this year. The terminals will be a new symbol for Penang, acting as an economic booster for the tourism sector,” he added.

PPC is a Federal Government agency responsible for regulating Penang Port.

PPSB is a private company that won the concession to manage, operate and grow Penang Port services from 1994, which includes the ferry service, terminals for cruise ships, containers, bulk cargo and other services.