ALOR SETAR, Aug 30 — Langkawi ferry operators are appealing to the federal government to expedite dredging works in the shipping lanes in Kuala Kedah and Kuala Perlis which are now experiencing silt deposits that affect shipping safety.

Ferry Line Ventures Sdn Bhd operations manager, Lieutenant Commander (Retired) Norhafiz Abdul Wahid, said the increasingly shallow shipping lanes not only increase the risk to passenger ferry operations, but can also cause schedule disruptions and travel delays.

“Ferry services are the mainstay of transportation to Langkawi and play an important role in supporting the country’s tourism sector.

“Based on previous operational records, passenger ferry services are capable of transporting up to 25,000 tourists a day during peak season,” he said in a statement today.

According to him, if the dredging works are not carried out immediately, it is feared that the situation will affect the smooth operation of the ferry, especially during peak season including ahead of the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA) next year.

Norhafiz said comprehensive and periodic dredging works are needed to ensure that the shipping route is always safe, in addition to enabling ferry operations to run smoothly and accommodate the increase in passenger numbers.

In a related development, he announced that 176 regular ferry trips and 66 additional trips are scheduled between August 27 and September 6 to accommodate the school holiday season and National Day crowd.

He said about 90,000 passengers are expected travel via two main routes, namely Langkawi-Kuala Perlis-Langkawi and Langkawi-Kuala Kedah-Langkawi.

He added that so far 86,978 tickets have been sold through online sales, counters and reservations.

“Visitors are also advised to buy tickets in advance online via the Cuti-Cuti Langkawi application to avoid disappointment,” he said.

Norhafiz said his party would ensure that the level of readiness for ferry operations was at a high level throughout the school holiday season and National Day. — Bernama