Transport Linkage

New Brunei-Menumbok ferry starts

Published on: Thursday, December 31, 2009


MENUMBOK: The Menumbok Jetty Terminal is now providing a direct ferry service to Brunei, uplifting its status to that of an international-level ferry terminal.

The service is provided under the Brunei Darussalam National Development Plan and Shuttle Hope is the first ferry from Brunei to begin operations.

This means there would now be increased tourists flow, as well as goods between both Sabah and Brunei.

The 44.49 metre ferry costing RM19.2 million has a 200-passenger capacity and also has a VIP room.

The ferry, owned by a Brunei-based Syarikat PKL Jaya Sendirian Berhad and equipped with safety and security equipment including closed circuit television units (CCTVs).

It can accommodate up to 200 passengers as well as 45 vehicles per trip.

There are some restrictions on the size of the vehicles allowed on board and this includes container lorries, according to its Executive Director Chin Mook Seng.

The ferry departs from Menumbok daily and takes about two-and-a-half hours from Menumbok Ferry Jetty Terminal to reach Serasa Ferry Terminal in Brunei Darussalam, at the speed of 14 knots.

PALM OIL INDUSTRIAL CLUSTER (POIC)

Call for strong biomass policy in oil palm industry

KOTA KINABALU: Malaysia needs a strong biomass policy to encourage investors to be involved in renewal energy by utilising the country’s oil palm industry.

Palm Oil Industrial Cluster Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Dr Pang Teck Wai said the absence of such a policy discouraged many oil palm players to consider renewal energy as part of their business plan.

“There is no doubt that we should be able to generate renewable energy from palm oil mill effluent (POME) and empty fruit bunches (EFBs).

“However, this needs to be policy-driven because there are just not enough incentives for oil palm players to consider renewable energy as part of their business plan.

“Neither is there sufficient deterrent in our laws to compel players to reduce their carbon footprints,” Pang said.

He was responding to newspaper reports quoting Malaysia Palm Oil Board chairman Datuk Sabri Ahmad as saying that Sabah could tap its power-generating potential from oil palm biomass, including methane gas from what is known in the industry as POME, which is about 65% methane.

He said although statistics showed that Sabah produced over 30% of Malaysia’s palm oil, little of the oil palm biomass was being commercially utilised. — Bernama