SSA wants Kuching Barrage maintenance to be expedited

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KUCHING: The Sarawak Shipping Association (SSA) has called on the state government and relevant authorities to closely monitor and implement realistic measures to expedite repairs and maintenance of Kuching Barrage’s lock-gate so that it can resume operations at an earlier time, as opposed to being closed for four months.

In a statement yesterday, the association said the Sarawak River Board (SRB) had given notice that the Kuching Barrage will be closed to traffic for about four months to enable major repair and maintenance works to its lock-gate to be carried out.

During that period, coastal merchant ships, tugs and barges originally berthing at private wharves along the Bintawa area would be barred from returning to their home base for cargo operations.

The closure necessitated these vessels to seek berthing space at Kuching Port Authority’s (KPA) Sim Kheng Hong Terminal, Sejingkat Terminal or other private wharves outside the barrage.

However, SSA pointed out that Kuching Port was only allocating one berth space at Sim Kheng Hong Terminal whereas berth space at Sejingkat Terminal could allow only one ship at a time.

“Other wharves outside the barrage cater mainly to ships operated by the respective wharves owners while other vessels are being given lower priority,” said a spokesperson for the association.

“This situation would definitely disrupt the coastal vessels’ originally shipping schedules, reduction or even cancellation of calls. Our association deeply regrets any inconvenience which may result from the barrage closure.”

SSA also hoped that all shippers, consignees, building contractors, merchants and manufacturers throughout the state will bear the situation together with ship operators on the likely disruption of their goods supply chain.

Since the Kuching Barrage commenced operation in 1998, there have been a few occasions where it was closed for routine maintenance, but it always resumed operation in less than a month’s time.

“But the closure this time would be for the longest duration of time, which is four months. As Kuching Barrage is the only passage to private wharves along the Bintawa area, the relevant ship operators would have to bear double expenses, namely maintaining their existing wharf facilities and workers at Bintawa and at the same time spend extra for cargo operations at another location.

“Moreover, the port terminals are imposing wharfage and terminal charges at rates ranging from RM1 to RM6.25 depending on the type of cargo,” said the spokesperson, noting that coastal vessel operators were corporate citizens of high integrity who will not increase their freight charges due to the increase of operating costs for the time being.

The SSA spokesperson noted that for the sake of maintaining the cordial relationship with existing clients, ship operators would absorb the extra costs as a temporary measure as well as closely monitor the progress of the lock-gate maintenance, pending a future course of action.

Coastal shipping fleets, he said, were an indispensable link in the goods supply chain.

“These coastal vessels are not only ferrying cargo carried by larger ocean going ships calling at Kuching to other divisions and towns in Sarawak, they are also assisting in solving the logistic problems of manufacturers situated in Kuching by distributing their products to other destinations in the state at very competitive freight rates.

“Bulky cargo such as gravel, sand and steel bars are not feasible for transport by lorry-trucks to cross-divisional towns and ought to be transported by coastal vessels. Even general merchandise would be cheaper to be shipped by maritime means compared to land based transport.”

In view of this, SSA proposed that the government and relevant authorities construct a low-cost terminal with sufficient berth space to accommodate all general cargo ships and bulk cargo carrying tug and barges originally berthing at Bintawa.

“This would be the long-term solution to address the constant inconvenience caused by Kuching Barrage which requires routine closing down for repairs and maintenance,” the spokesperson added.