GEORGE TOWN: The first passenger ferry service from Butterworth to Penang will depart earlier from tomorrow in conjunction with the reopening of schools.

Penang Port Commission (PPC) chairman Datuk Tan Teik Cheng said the first ferry would depart at 6.30 am, compared to the previous schedule of 7 am which had been set due to the lower number of passengers following the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The pedestrian ferry service schedule will also be amended according to current needs as well as public demand, to ensure that people are provided the very best service possible," he said in a statement today.

Meanwhile, Tan said the waiting area for the pedestrian ferry at the Swettenham Pier Cruise Terminal (SPCT) which was previously on the top floor, had been moved to the ground floor of the building following the reopening of domestic cruise ship activities.

He said works to upgrade the ferry terminal at Pangkalan Sultan Abdul Halim (PSAH) and Pangkalan Raja Tun Uda (PRTU) were also underway.

According to him, the Federal Government has also agreed to allocate RM30 million to Penang Port Sdn. Bhd. (PPSB) to purchase new ferries.

"We have handed over RM15 million out of the RM30 million to PPSB on Dec 27, and the rest will be handed over this year," he said.

-- BERNAMA