GEORGE TOWN: Just days after it was proudly towed from the mainland to the Tanjung City Marina to become a floating museum, the iconic ferry Pulau Pinang has sprung a leak and is now listing on its side.
It was the second such mishap for the now decommissioned ferries this year.
In July, Pulau Kapas ferry sank almost completely while docked at the Butterworth wharf. It is now in the process of being salvaged for scrap along with the Pulau Undan ferry.
Pulau Pinang began keeling to one side a couple of days ago, even as project developers were busy turning it into a floating museum. Several museum exhibits, including vintage cars, were already on board the ferry,
Several photos shared on chatgroups show the ferry tilting to the point that seawater has begun entering via the platform on one end, where vehicles used to drive onto the ferry.
Penang Port Commission (PPC) chairman Datuk Yeoh Soon Hin, who confirmed the leak, said the listing became obvious on Sunday.
He said the ferry’s leaseholder, Printhero Merchandise (M) Sdn Bhd, immediately conducted checks and found that the ferry was taking water into its engine room at the bilges. To avoid having the ferry sink near the cruise terminal, it was towed to a shallow stretch of Swettenham Pier to facilitate repairs.
Yeoh said there were no oil spills and that both PPC and Penang Port Sdn Bhd were assisting Printhero Merchandise with repairs.
Pulau Pinang was built in 2002 and retired in 2019. The 440-tonne vessel was the last vehicular ferry to be commissioned.
Last Thursday, it was towed across the Penang Strait from the Bagan Dalam slipway on the mainland to Tanjung City Marina near Swettenham Pier.
The ferry, which was to be named the “Penang Ferry Museum” had undergone more than 70% in repair works and 90% in refurbishment.
In June 2021, Pulau Pinang had also taken in water when it was berthed in Bagan Dalam slipway along Perai River, but a repair crew sealed the leak and floated her again.
Penang’s old ferries, some commissioned in the 1970s, were retired by the end of 2020 and replaced with speed boats.
Pulau Paya is now docked at Pengkalan Raja Tun Uda and is expected to be turned into a restaurant, Pulau Angsa is set to be used for tourism purposes while Pulau Talang Talang is at a dry dock in Lumut.
Penang’s ferry service today is provided by a fleet of four modern ferries brought in at a cost of RM100mil. They have been plying the channel since August last year.
