File photo for illustration purposes.
KUCHING (April 28): The Sarawak Shipping Association (SSA) has questioned the status of the capital dredging project for Kuching Port’s navigational channel, which was scheduled to be completed on June 10, 2020.
In a statement, the association said there has been no official update on the project costing over RM400 million, which began in 2017.
“No updating had been conducted to clear the shipping community’s doubt since the last briefing on Jan 21, 2020. We regret to point out that no warning notice or signal to mariners was issued from time to time since the start of the project on Nov 9, 2017, that is, on shallow water or diversion of navigation due to dredging activity.
“As a result, we witnessed at least three ships were grounded midstream in the vicinity of Tanjung Renard in 2020, the most recent case was on April 19, 2020,” said the association.
According to the SSA, the shipping community in Kuching always faces the dilemma of which authority to approach to obtain information on the status of the project, since both Kuching Port Authority (KPA) and Sarawak Marine Department were unable to provide the correct answer.
“Kuching Port Authority has been collecting a Channel Maintenance Fee at the rate of RM1 per tonne for all cargo going through the port’s terminals since June 1, 2017, but the capital dredging has not been completed until now.
“Logically, ‘maintenance’ could only be implemented before completion of the capital dredging; the shipping community and people at large are interested to know where the huge funds collected are being utilised,” SSA said.
On another issue, SSA said while it supports the Sarawak government’s prompt action to build a bridge from Kampung Tanjung Bako, Samarahan to Demak Laut Commercial Centre near Sejingkat Terminal to ease traffic congestion in Samarahan, the shipping industry is concerned about the position of Sim Kheng Hong Wharf.
“We were told that the air-draft of the bridge would be 26 metres. Ships with higher air-draft, such as Roro Carriers and larger foreign-flag ships would be restricted to berth at the wharf after completion, said to be in four years’ time.
“The shipping industry should not be kept in dark about the government’s future plan with Sim Kheng Hong Wharf, as well as the proposed expansion of Senari Terminal. More details should be made available to our industry, which would be directly affected by the said bridge project. Mishandling of the situation would destabilise the whole market,” SSA said.
The association also said that it had proven that the Cabotage Policy’s effect on the price of goods in general was negligible.
“We believe the Ministry of Transport, both Sarawak and federal level had gathered sufficient feedback for scrapping the exemption granted for movements between East and West Malaysia, but regret to note that there is no official announcement until now,” it said.
SSA added it conducted its annual general meeting earlier this week via webinar for the first time.
In view of the Covid-19 pandemic, it was resolved that the existing 14th term office-bearers were re-elected as 15th term office-bearers with minor changes.