Singapore-Puteri Harbour ferry services may give tourists more options but not likely to ease Causeway congestion: Experts

JOHOR BAHRU: Ferry services between Singapore and the Puteri Harbour ferry terminal in Johor could pique the interest of travellers, especially tourists who are keen to explore a new option to cross the border, said experts who spoke to CNA. 

However, they maintained that such services are unlikely to move the needle sufficiently to alleviate congestion at the two land checkpoints between Singapore and Malaysia - the Causeway and Second Link. 

On Thursday (Jan 19), Johor Chief Minister Onn Hafiz Ghazi said that the state government was exploring the possibility of ferry services between Puteri Harbour international terminal and Singapore.

“With this new route, we are confident it will further facilitate accessibility between Johor and Singapore, while also helping to further improve the state's economic status,” said Mr Onn Hafiz. 

He noted that in 2022, more than 141,000 tourists came from Batam and Tanjung Balai in Indonesia into Malaysia via the ferry terminal, which is owned and operated by Malaysia property developer UEM Sunrise. 

According to tourism and business expert from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) Associate Professor Nanthakumar Loganathan, a ferry as a mode of transportation could appeal to Singapore tourists who do not wish to be stuck in traffic congestion at the land checkpoints. 

“The ferry service could be a viable option for them - for day-trippers who come into Johor to shop as well as tourists who use it as a gateway to travel further up north to places like Melaka and Kuala Lumpur,” he added. 

He added that the ferry terminal was also close to private hospitals in the Medini area, including Gleneagles Hospital, and this could be a genuine option for tourists from Singapore who come for medical services.

Prof Loganathan noted that Johor is keen on developing itself as a medical tourism hub and transport infrastructure like ferry services could be key in improving accessibility for visitors.

Transport expert Associate Professor Walter Theseira from the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) posited that the Johor state government is motivated to pursue this project to help boost the demand for attractions in the Iskandar region, such as Puteri Harbour, Legoland Malaysia as well as the Johor Premium Outlets shopping facility. 

The Puteri Harbour international ferry terminal is within a 10-minute drive to Legoland and a 30-minute drive to the premium outlet mall as well as Johor Bahru town centre. 

Prof Theseira acknowledged that the ferry services may help fulfil this objective and may present Singapore tourists with another option to travel across the border. However, he maintained that such a service will not be “very competitive” compared to existing options. 

“To specific tourist points like Legoland, Johor Premium Outlet, there are already established private bus services,” he said. 

“Those will very likely be more cost-effective picking up direct from Singapore than to organise it as a ferry and bus package,” added Prof Theseira. 

A ferry service between Singapore’s Tanah Merah ferry terminal and Desaru Coast commenced operations in July last year. 

Prof Theseira cited how the service was launched with the same purpose as the Puteri Harbour service being explored by the Johor state government - to drive tourism among Singaporeans to the attractions in the southern state. 

He noted that the ticket prices for the Desaru ferry service cost S$118 (US$84.81) for a return trip, which may be relatively expensive for most Singapore and Malaysia travellers compared to other options. 

“It's not just the ticket price, it's also the convenience,” said Prof Theseira. 

“The lack of public transport connectivity on the Malaysian side means that if your destination is anywhere other than the ferry landing zone, then it would probably make more sense for you to take your own private transport,” he added. 

LAND TRAVEL STILL BETTER OPTION FOR TRAVELLERS: EXPERTS 

Experts also share similar sentiments that the ferry services are unlikely to help alleviate traffic congestion at the land checkpoints. 

Congestion at both the Causeway and Second Link has been a long-standing problem for travellers. During peak hours on weekends, some commuters have reported being stuck in traffic for up to six hours. 

UTM’s Prof Loganathan said that on average, around 200,000 people cross the land checkpoints each day, many of them Malaysians who commute daily for work. 

He opined that it is “very unlikely” that these travellers would see these ferry services as an option for travel. 

SUSS’ Prof Theseira stressed that generally speaking, point to point ferry services between Singapore and Johor have “little to no impact on connectivity”. 

“This is because the volume of land crossings is massive in comparison and land crossings are also the cheapest method of crossing, although it may be time consuming during peak hours,” he said.