The Launching of Swettenham Pier Cruise Terminal (SPCT) Upgrading Project
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THE LAUNCHING OF SWETTENHAM PIER CRUISE TERMINAL (SPCT) UPGRADING PROJECT
PENANG, 1st FEBRUARY 2020 – Penang Port Commission and Penang Port Sdn Bhd had the launching of the Swettenham Pier Cruise Terminal (SPCT) Upgrading Project at the Waving Gallery, SPCT at 11 am. YAB Chow Kon Yeow, Chief Minister of Penang launched the event. Also in attendance were the Malaysian Finance Minister, YB Tuan Lim Guan Eng and Malaysian Transport Minister, YB Anthony Loke Siew Fook. Amongst those who attended the event were Chairman of Penang Port Commission, Jeffrey Chew Gim Eam, General Manager of Penang Port Commission, Monaliza Suhaimi, Chairman of Penang Port Sdn Bhd, Dato’ Syed Mohamad Syed Murtaza, Group Managing Director of MMC, Dato’ Sri Che Khalib Mohamad Noh, and CEO of Penang Port Sdn Bhd, Sasedharan Vasudevan.
On the 6th of September 2018, Penang Port Sdn Bhd and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCL) signed a joint venture agreement to upgrade the SPCT. This project encompasses the extension of the existing wharf to the North by 220 meters. This extension enables two of the world’s largest Oasis-Class ships to berth at any one time. One Oasis-class ship can accommodate around 6,700 guests in total.
This upgrading project will also involve the restructuring of the current terminal to increase the efficiency of passenger handling, the redevelopment of the old godowns for commercial activities and the Ground Transport Area (GTA). The entire project will complete between 24 to 36
months. Once completed, SPCT is able to accommodate 12,000 passengers as compared to 8,000 passengers currently. The location of SPCT in the city itself and in the heritage enclave were the main attractions to tourists to Penang and has the potential to be the main destination of cruise lines in Asia.
Photo caption from left: YBhg Dato’ Sri Che Khalib Mohamad Noh, Group Managing Director of MMC, YBhg Dato’ Syed Mohamad Syed Murtaza, Chairman of Penang Port Sdn Bhd, YB Anthony Loke Siew Fook, Minister of Transportation, YAB Chow Kon Yeow, Chief Minister of Penang, YB Lim Guan Eng, Minister of Finance, Mr. Jeffrey Chew, Chairman of Penang Port Commission and YBhg Datuk Isham Ishak, Secretary General Ministry of Transportation at the launching ceremony of Swettenham Pier Cruise Terminal Upgrading project.
ABOUT PENANG PORT COMMISSION (PPC)
Penang Port Commission ( PPC) was established on 1 January 1956 under the Penang Port Commission Act, 1955. PPC is a Statutory Body under the purview of the Ministry of Transport. As a Statutory body, PPC is responsible for the administration of Penang Port. The responsibilities carried out by PPC as set out in the Penang Port Commission.
Act, 1955 are to provide and maintain port and ferry service in Penang Port as well as upgrading the development and the use of the port.
Penang Port is an international port strategically located in the Straits of Malacca on the North West Coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Penang Port offers a variety of facilities and modern equipment to handle containers, liquid bulk cargo, dry bulk cargo and general cargo.
Since 1 January 1994, the operation of the port at Penang Port has been privatised to a licensed operator, i. e. Penang Port Sdn. Bhd. ( PPSB) under the Ports ( Privatisation) Act 1990. PPC continues to exist as a Port Authority as well as undertakes other major roles, namely as a Regulatory Authority under the Ports ( Privatisation) Act 1990, as a Port Resource Centre for the northern region and as the Administrator of the Free Commercial Zone ( FCZ) under the Free Commercial Zone Act 1990 and Free Zone Regulations 1991.
In 1995, Parliament passed the amendments to the Penang Port Commission Act, 1955. These amendments enable PPC’s power and jurisdiction to be extended to other ports. Effective 1 January 1999, PPC was appointed as the Port Authority and Regulatory Authority following the privatization of Teluk Ewa Jetty, Langkawi.
Apart from that, PPC also acts as trade facilitator, mediator and promoter of Penang Port. PPC is also committed in promoting Penang Port to be the hub – port for the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle ( IMT-GT) as well as the Bay of Bengal.
Additional information can be found on www. penangport.gov.my
ABOUT PENANG PORT SDN BHD (PPSB)
Penang Port Sdn Bhd is a port operator company ( a member of MMC Group) located in the state of Penang, in the north-west of Peninsula Malaysia, Penang Port is the oldest and longest established port in Malaysia. The port serves as the main gateway for shippers in the northern states of Malaysia as well as the southern provinces of Thailand.
The port is fully equipped to handle all types of cargo such as containers and non-containerised cargo such as liquid, dry bulk and break bulk.
Apart from cargo, Penang Port receives passengers at the Swettenham Pier Cruise Terminal ( SPCT) “ A Leading Cruise Destination in South East Asia” located on the island of Penang. The terminal can handle up to 1 million passengers a year.
Additional information can be found on www.penangport.com.my
ABOUT ROYAL CARIBBEAN CRUISES LTD. (RCL)
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. ( NYSE: RCL) is a global cruise vacation company that controls and operates four global brands: Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, Azamara and Silversea Cruises. We are also a 50 percent joint venture owner of the German brand TUI Cruises and a 49 percent shareholder in the Spanish brand Pullmantur Cruceros. Together, these brands operate a combined total of 61 ships with an additional 17 on order as of December 31 , 2019. They operate diverse itineraries around the world that call on all seven continents.
Additional information can be found on www.rclcorporate.com
