GEORGETOWN: Concerns are growing about whether the floating museum ferry, ‘Pulau Pinang’, can be salvaged in time to open by the end of the year.
The ferry has tilted significantly and appears lopsided compared to images from last week.
Recent photos show it has taken on too much water and is sinking, raising the risk of an oil spill.
Last week, Penang Port Commission (PPC) chairman Datuk Yeoh Soon Hin assured there would be no oil spill, despite the ferry taking in water in its bilges.
Reports indicated the ferry was towed to a shallow area near the Sweetenham Pier Cruise Terminal (SPCT) to prevent sinking while undergoing repairs.
The ferry was transported across the Penang Strait from the Bagan Dalam slipway on the mainland to its temporary location at SPCT. Plans are in place to move it to Tanjung City Marina after repairs and refurbishment are complete.
Neither the PPC nor Printhero Sdn Bhd, the private company operating the ferry, could be reached for comment.
