KANGAR, March 8 — The ferry trips from Pulau Langkawi to Kuala Perlis on March 21 until March 23 have been cancelled following low water level at the entry and exit points of the ferry terminal.
Ferry Line Ventures Sdn Bhd’s operations manager, Lt (R) Baharin Baharom said the cancellation involved three travel times namely 7.30am, 8am and 9am for all three dates.
“The low tides which occur according to the seasons will make it difficult for the ferries to pass through or approach the jetty. If the water level is too low, the ferry may get stuck,” he told Bernama when contacted today.
However, out of concern for the passengers, the company would provide a ferry which could travel over shallow waters, to offer a trip at 8.30am so that passengers would not have to wait long at the Langkawi Jetty.
Ferry Line Ventures Sdn Bhd, is the only ferry service operating on the route after the Dragon Star 1 ferry service was suspended soon after one of the ferries caught fire last month.
Elaborating Baharin said for the trip from Kuala Perlis to Pulau Langkawi the rides scheduled at 8.30am, 10am and 11am have been cancelled and a courtesy trip would be available at 10.30am.
“As for the journeys from Kuala Kedah to Langkawi Island and Pulau Langkawi to Kuala Kedah, the rides scheduled at 7.30am and 8.30am have been cancelled but we will not provide any courtesy trip,” he said.
He said the ferry cancellations were made to ensure the image of Langkawi is maintained as local and foreign tourists were already on the island for the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA) scheduled from March 26 to 30.
Baharin said works on deepening the route at Kuala Perlis had been carried out since December last year and were expected to complete by May this year. — Bernama
