Open tender for removal of two iconic ferries offers by PPC
The Penang Port Commission (PPC) has announced an open tender for the salvage and removal of two iconic ferries (Pulau Undan and Pulau Kapas) from the Sultan Abdul Halim terminal.
PPC general manager Vijayaindiaran R. Viswalingam emphasised the urgency of the situation, noting that the Pulau Undan ferry is at imminent risk of sinking.
Yesterday, at around 3 am, the Pulau Kapas ferry sank at the terminal. The vessel had been deteriorating due to rot and corrosion since it was docked there in 2020.
Vijayaindiaran said that the tender will close at 5 pm today and is likely to be awarded by tomorrow.
“The companies must have the expertise to carry out the operations.
“We are talking about 1,000 tonnes of heavy steel – the combined weight of both ferries. (They) need to be salvaged, cut and moved out.
“We need to adhere to stringent standard operating procedures, as the scrap should be loaded onto a barge and taken out by sea. They cannot be removed via the terminal,” he said, reported The Star.
Vijayaindiaran stressed the urgent need to salvage the Pulau Kapas ferry, as strong winds pose a risk of it being pushed out to sea.
“We have put in additional mooring lines to secure it against strong winds and prevent it from drifting away.
“We have added marker buoys to prevent boats from encroaching into the location.
“We have enhanced security at the terminal with the deployment of pilot boats and drones to check on any oil spillage within 8km of the site,” he said.
The Pulau Undan and Pulau Kapas ferries, commissioned in 1975 and 1981 respectively, were decommissioned in 2020.
Vijayaindiaran stated that scrapping the ferries became necessary only after all other alternatives had been exhausted.
“We have discussed with the Seberang Perai City Council and Penang Land and Mines Office for a suitable space to berth both ferries some time ago but it (a solution) did not materialise.
“While there were proposals to re-designate the ferries for tourism purposes, they fell through due to high cost or the bidders’ non-compliance.
“Any successful bidder must spend almost RM5mil to upgrade and refurbish the ferry. It is a costly endeavour,” he said.
China Press reported that Penang Port Commission chairman Datuk Yeoh Soon Hin said that the Pulau Kapas ferry, which capsized early yesterday morning, is beyond repair due to extensive damage.
As a result, the commission has decided to decommission the historic vessel.
Plans to repurpose the Pulau Kapas ferry into a floating restaurant were abandoned after the lessee failed to comply with the terms, leading to the termination of the lease agreement in February 2023.