Civil engineering and public works
Aerial view of wharves in course
of construction, April 1968
Stage 1 of Butterworth wharves project completed
PENANG Island owes its develop- ment to its natural harbour and indeed it is because of the harbour that the settlement on the Island of Penang was first established in 1786.
This idealic tropical island, 108 square miles in area and dominated by luxuriant forested hills, is situated two miles from the mainland of West Malay- sia at the northern end of the Malacca Straits. Its geographical location, the relatively deep water close to the island and ample supplies of fresh water, of- fered a haven for ocean going sailing ships of yesterday as they do to the modern ships today.
The port of Penang originally asso- ciated with the island, rose rapidly in importance at the expense of develop ment on the mainland shore at Butter- worth both for political and geographi- cal reasons. First, Penang was a British Colony, enjoying free port status, and attracted those interested in trade and commerce. Secondly, in contrast to the relatively clear coast line of the is land the shores on the mainland were largely mangrove swamps with inhospi-
by J. Thillaimuthu
table foreshore of an estuarine char- ancillary buildings, roads and railway. acter subject to silting.
At the time Malaysia gained its in- dependence, Penang was the second largest city and the most important port in Malaysia. However, more than 70 per cent of the cargo handled in the Port of Penang was from or destined for the mainland and it was inevitable that establishment of major port facili- ties on the mainland became necessary.
Costs
Proposals mooted as early as the 1920's were repeatedly shelved until 1956 when the present Penang Port Commission commissioned their con- sulting engineers to make a tidal model study and select the best site. Their report favoured the present location south of the town of Butterworth at Bagan Luar and extending up to the mouth of the river Prai.
The total project designed was esti- mated to cost M$57,000,000 and in- volved considerable filling and piling work, deep water wharves for six berths (subsequently reduced to five berths)
The Malaysian Railways separately ex- tended their facilities by building a railway swing bridge over the Prai Ri- ver and constructed a new modern rail- way station and terminal building at Butterworth.
The finance for the wharves project was arranged as follows: ---
M$ million
Federal Government Kreditanstalt Fur Wiederaubau (Fed. Republic of Germany) Penang Port Commission
28.0
16.3
12.7
Total 57.0
The swift development of contain- erization in major ports in the world, as a new and essential method of cargo handling, led to substantial changes in the original planning. One conven- tional berth was eliminated and the savings in investment were directed to conversion of two of the berths for containerized traffic.
The first stage of the construction of the three conventional berths on the revised scheme is now complete
Far East BUILDER, November 1968.
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