New ferry service set to grow
TAPPING MARKETS: Puteri Habour seeking permit from Singaporean authorities
By Chuah Bee Kim
NUSAJAYA: A TOTAL of 6,000 passengers have used the ferry services at the Port of Puteri Habour Ferry Terminal here since it began operations on May 8.
The ferry terminal, which is owned by UEM Sunrise Bhd (formerly known as UEM Land Holdings Bhd), and managed by Ridaa Associates Sdn Bhd, currently offers services to Karimun and Batam in Indonesia.
Ridaa Associates general manager Abdul Razak Ejab said 90 per cent of those who used the ferry were tourists, while the rest were workers.
“We now have three round trips to Harbour Bay in Batam and Tanjung Balai in Karimun,” Razak said yesterday.
He said the operator was optimistic of getting 800 arrivals and 1,000 departures daily within six months.
He said the ferry terminal in Kukup catered to 25,000 to 30,000 passengers a month, while the Stulang Laut terminal handled 60,000 a month.
“We are still new, so we don’t expect that kind of crowd just yet.
“Most of the tourists from Indonesia come to Puteri Harbour for medical check-ups. However, we are hoping to tap five per cent of the five million tourists who use the Harbour Front in Singapore.”
Harbour Front, formerly known as the World Trade Centre, is near the Resorts World Sentosa and Universal Studios Singapore.
Ridaa Associates yesterday organised a trial run for a group of representatives from the ferry operator in Singapore to discuss a possible tie-up.
“Once we get the Marine Port Authority of Singapore to issue a permit, we will be able to apply for a permit from the Malaysian Transport Ministry to start the service from Singapore to Puteri Harbour,” Razak said.
Puteri Habour, which is equipped with a pontoon jetty, is expected to officially open in October.
It hopes to launch the ferry service to Singapore at that time.