I was discussing this with friend, look at the video clip below. The Penang State Government should start thinking out of the box. The Brits phased it out as they had built a tunnel from Britain to France for the Channel crossing. The Channel is 21 mi (34 km) wide between Dover and Cape Gris-Nez, near Calais. The Penang bridge is around 13 kms, give or take.



For the Channel crossing in the mid 1970s, increased traffic meant that there was a need for increased capacity on the hovercraft. This problem was solved by stretching the SRN4 hovercraft and turning them into SRN4 Mk3 craft, wich increased their capacity to 424 passengers and 54 cars. The SRN4 Mk3 craft made the journey from Dover to Calais in 35 minutes. The fastest ever crossing being recorded by the “Princess Anne” in September 1995 taking only 22 minutes to cross the Channel. That was a distance of 34 kms. That was then, technology has grown by leaps and bounds until today. Can one imagine the shorter distance between Penang and the mainland. It would be a breeze and take away the strain and jams from the bridge. It could easily take 17 minutes! Hoovercraft do not need very elaborate piers, all they need are sloping ramps. This is food for thought for the Government of Penang. Lim Guan Eng are you listening?

The Princess Margaret, had been used by Hoverspeed in the fastest year-round mode of travel between England and France. This service carried over 30 million passengers over three decades, until the Channel Tunnel became the preferred mode of crossing the English Channel. As a result, both hovercrafts are currently in dry dock in England.

The guys who plan to commence a year-round ferry project between the mainland and Penang in the year 2010 will have to ensure a faster ferry, with crossing times of approximately 20 minutes. The Hoovercarft should generally accommodate 400 passengers, but must have the ability to augment passenger levels to 600 per crossing when needed. At regular passenger levels the hovercraft should carry 55 cars, or four tour buses.

The service should be made affordable, in line with the target markets. This will be accomplished by a low-cost capital cost structure. Fuel arrangements should be made with a local producer, if available to supply the hovercraft with economical biodiesel fuel. Peak times and special events may cause fare rates to be adjusted. The hovercraft is a means to an end, and as such it will not be necessary to provide extensive on-board facilities. Such services are better provided dockside. There could be a state of the art terminals, with entertaiment provided, like a drive in theatre, for passengers who are waiting. The hoovercraft should be fully accessible to disabled passengers. The targetted passengers should be the commuters to the Bayan Lepas Free Industrial Zone. There should be feeder trams or buses planned. Large strategically placed carparks, withe feeder buses, for those who do not want to take their cars across. A certain fee should be imposed or included in the Hoovercraft package fare.

Okay, for the Penang state government who have been alerted to this idea, set up your own think tank on how to set up this Hoovercraft service. Remember there will not be much of an impact on the environment, as you will be using bio-diesel, no wake, which will impact on the shoreline, noise levels are much lower. Healthwise you will be less stressed out, with a very much lesser travelling time.