BUKIT MERTAJAM, July 28 — The 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, said Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow.
He said they are no longer suited for transport as their structures are in decay.
“I was informed the bottoms of the ferries have 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 carpark in Jalan Baru Prai here today.
Previously, the Penang Port Commission (SPPP) opened a Request For Proposal to repurpose the iconic ferries.
Chow said two of the ferries may still be salvageable — one with the developer Ideal Property and another to be turned into a 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 transport. However, other uses can be considered.
“Additionally, the ferry terminal has been modified to accommodate new ferries currently in operation,” he said.
Previously, SPPP chairman Datuk Yeoh Soon Hin said the commission had decided to dispose of the iconic ferries due to severe decay and the inability to carry out repairs as they could not be floated.
The decision came following an incident where iconic ferry “Pulau Kapas” 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 speedboats (for passengers) and ferries (for motorcycles and bicycles).
— Bernama
