Penang’s new ferry which will mark a new era of cross-channel commuting will start operations around mid-July. According to The Star, each ferry costs RM18 million and has the capacity of ferrying 250 passengers and 50 two-wheelers. Unfortunately, this new ferry is not designed for cars though.
Penang Port CEO Datuk Sasedharan Vasudevan said that travel time on the new ferry from Butterworth to the island will take around 10 minutes, which is much faster than the 20-minute rides on the classic ferry.
Sasedharan also told the media both sides of the ferry terminal is currently being upgraded. The transformation at the Raja Tun Uda terminal of the island include a 400 sqm facility with 25 retail outlets, an air-con waiting area with WiFi and phone chargers, and OKU-friendly facilities.
On the mainland side, the Sultan Abdul Halim new terminal has upgraded and is currently in operations. At present, fast boats connect the Butterworth terminal to the Swettenham Pier Cruise Terminal on the island.
Pictures of the new ferry which was taken at a shipyard in Haiphong, Vietnam went viral in March.
The old, classic Penang ferries were retired in December 2020. You can check out some of the memories of the older ferries in this link.
