Penang Port Pilots

On 1st of January 1956, the Penang Port Commission (PPC) was established under the Penang Port Commission Act 1955 with the responsibility to operate and maintain the port and ferry facilities. Although PPC has licensed its port operation and ferry services to Penang Port Sdn Bhd in 1994, it still continues to play various important roles such as a Port & Regulatory Authority, Lessor, Licensor and Landlord, Port Resource Centre for the Northern Region and as the Administrator of the Free Commercial Zone.

As the Port & Regulatory Authority, PPC needs to ensure the execution of its statutory functions in the port being implemented smoothly and oversee the activities within the port limit constantly. PPC also is responsible to license the harbour pilots to pilot the vessels in the port and control the over marine activities through the Pilotage Committee with respect to conduct of the pilots, safety of the harbour, marine accidents and port development promotion.

To ensure that PPSB is rendering the services within its expectation, PPC establishes and monitors the performance standard of the port operator (PPSB) by the virtue of the Privatisation Agreement and Clause 3 of the license granted and the feedback system from port users.

Penang Port is managed and operated by Penang Port Sdn Bhd (PPSB) as a licensed operator in 1994 is strategically located along the Northwest coast of Peninsula Malaysia, being a deepwater port and overlooking major shipping lanes in the strait of Malacca, it is a choice port of call for traders within the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle and the Asia-Pacific region.

Penang Port is easily accessible from various links such as the North-South Highway, spanning from the Malaysia-Thailand border to the Malaysia-Singapore border, the east coast via the East-West Highway and within all major economic regions in the country. It also easily approached within 30 minutes from Bayan Lepas International Airport to serve very well as sea-air model choice for cargo transportation.

Penang Port Sdn Bhd’s (PPSB) containerized cargoes are handled primarily at the North Butterworth Container Terminal (NBCT) and smaller volume is handled at Butterworth Container Terminal (BWCT). To meet the increasing demand, NBCT is being further developed under Phase 3 project where consist of Construction of an additional length of 600 meters wharf, Land reclamation of 25 hectares as back up area, Purchase of additional gantry cranes and Rubber Tyred Gantries and Construction of a 1500 meters storage deck at the present berth to enhance the handling capacity.

Its Butterworth Wharves presently has four berths dedicated for handling a variety of break-bulk cargo and additional berths will be available for conventional cargo operations. Penang Port’s Vegetable Oil Tanker Piers with overhead pipelines to enable direct loading and unloading of vegetable oils from the berthing vessel.

Penang Port’s Prai Bulk Cargo Terminal (PBCT) has facilities for the handling of a multitude of dry bulk cargo, non-edible liquid bulk cargo and fully equipped to handle dangerous cargo such as Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG). Due to the highly International Standard Safety requirement, strictly security and fire protection is being maintained at all times.

Due to overwhelming and fully support from Penang Government on tourism industry, Passenger vessel facilities at Penang Port, Swettenham Pier  which is about 450 metres long T-shape berth and able to cater vessels carrying more 2000 passengers.

Penang Port is also providing ferry for the public commuting between mainland, Pangkalan Sultan Halim and Penang Island, Pangkalan Raja Tun Uda.

To complement port operations and ferry services, Penang Port provides ancillary services such as pilotage, towage, and ship repair at dockyard, security and fire fighting. All these operations services are under the responsible of the SBU-Marine Operation.

Penang Port is accessible by all vessels via North and South Channel. The North Channel approach has a depth of 11 metres and due to the 13.5 km Penang Bridge access through the South Channel is restricted to vessels with a draft of 5.8 metres and less and air-draft not exceeding 28 metres.

The doctrine of compulsory pilotage was enacted and its legislation has become important for the protection and preservation of the ships, ports and marine environment. Therefore Port Commission (PPC) from time to time by notification in the Gazette declares any area in the port or the approaches to the port to be a pilotage district. If is appears to the Commission to be necessary require any vessel while navigating in any pilotage district to be under pilotage, the master or owner of the vessel shall comply with the requirement. Due to this requirement, the Commission (PPC) would employ such number of pilots as it deem necessary or expedient for the purpose of providing an adequate and efficient pilotage service. Therefore, the Commission (PPC) will authorise the Pilotage Committee to issue a licence to any employee of a licensed operator which is Penang Port Sdn Bhd (PPSB) to pilot vessels in the pilotage district subject to such terms and conditions as the Commission thinks fit.

The pilot entry requirement is to possess a valid Certificate Of Competency(Deck) which is a certificate issued and endorsed under the Merchant Shipping (Training & Certification) Rules 1999 at the grades or equivalent to the Commission’s approved guideline and medical fitness. The Pilotage Committee will examine the employee and be satisfied to the employee’s general fitness and competency to act as a pilot for Penang Port Sdn Bhd (PPSB). All pilots are required to undergo training in accordance with the training schedule as approved by the Pilotage Committee from time to time, begins with stage 1 until Unrestricted Pilot License where they would need to perform pilotage services and complete certain duration job training comprising of vessel’s Length Overall (LOA) and movement either to anchorage, berthing and unberthing.

The Commission in exercising the power will make the Penang Port Commission (Pilotage) By-Laws 1991 are in force and apply within the Pilotage District of the Penang Port. Every pilot must comply with the provisions of these By-laws at all times. They also must obey and execute any orders given by Chief Marine Officer whom is the Head of Marine Operation.

To comply and achieve the Penang Port’s business strategies, objectives and customer perspective strategy statement to provide the maximum value to customers by continuously enhancing quality and productivity of delivery system and through quality services as well as applying a win- win customer relation by understanding their requirements and continuously communicating an exchanging information for mutual benefit, Marine Operations Unit with the directive of the SBU Marine Operation is holding the responsibility of ensuring its 18 pilots are well trained and highly skilled employees to expose on the newly development enhancement planned by the port for forthcoming years.