Penang opens tender for water taxies as new mode of transport
GEORGE TOWN, Dec 9 — The Penang state government and Penang Island City Council (MBPP) will be calling for a request for proposal (RFP) to introduce water taxi service in Penang Island.
Transport and infrastructure committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari, who announced this in a press conference, said the RFP opens on December 12.
“MBPP has obtained early approval from the Ministry of Transport to implement the water taxies in Penang so they will be holding an open tender to appoint a contractor for the project,” he said.
He said a RFP briefing will be held on December 19 and the closing date for the RFP is on February 27.
The RFP is open to registered companies with a paid up capital of a minimum of RM500,000.
Zairil said the important components that applicants have to include in the RFP were a preliminary feasibility report, proposed locations for water taxi jetties, the specifications of the boats to be used, the financial model and the period of implementation.
MBPP Mayor Datuk Yew Tung Seang said the city council wrote to the Ministry of Transport for approval for the water taxies last year.
“We met with the minister in September and obtained the early conditional approval on October 18,” he said.
He said once the tender closes on February 27, MBPP and related agencies will evaluate the applications before making an offer to the winning applicant in mid-2023.
Yew said the city council has identified four jetty locations that should be included in the proposals.
“We have identified the four locations, from Straits Quay, Swettenham Pier, Pantai Jerejak and Batu Maung,” he said.
The companies are given the option to propose other locations and provide feasibility studies for these locations.
The water taxi service is expected to be in operations by 2024 depending on the proposals received, he added.
Interested companies can register for the RFP online through ep.penang.gov.my.
