THE delayed RM55.4mil Port Swettenham expansion project will be completed in September, says Penang Port Commission (PPC) chairman Tan Cheng Liang.
She says PPC is managing the project, which is 86% completed.
“The main building, now 99% completed, will accommodate shops, a Customs inspection and quarantine centre, and sufficient space for 40 taxis and five buses to pick up passengers.
“After that, the main contractor (of the project) will have to issue a two-year warranty for the entire project,” she told a press conference yesterday.
Tan Cheng Liang with an artist’s impression of the extended Port Swettenham pier.
The expansion, to enable international cruise liners with over 3,000 passengers to berth at Port Swettenham, was originally scheduled for completion by November 2007, 18 months after it kicked off in May 2006.
Due to technical problems related to design and finance faced by the main contractor, PPC extended the deadline to late last year.
“Since they were still not able to meet the extended deadline, PPC has decided to manage the project jointly with the main contractor.
“This will allow PPC to deal directly with the sub-contractors. We will use some new sub-contractors to complete the more specialised aspects of the expansion,” she said.
Tan adds that another option would be to terminate the main contractor and re-tender the whole project.
“This would take time and cost the Federal Government a further RM21mil.
“The approach that we are taking offers the best solution as it ensures the port redevelopment will be ready soon to help boost the local tourism industry,” she said.
