He said the government currently spends about RM50 million every two years on dredging works at the present sites to enable passenger ferries to continue operations.

“The ministry is thinking about finding a location that can benefit both states (Kedah and Perlis) so that we can solve this problem in the long-term. I will announce the details later,” he told reporters here.

He said the Maritime Institute of Malaysia was studying suitable locations between Kedah and Perlis for the new passenger jetty.

“We already have a special allocation for the Kuala Kedah jetty but building a new jetty there will not solve the problem,” he said. “We have to find a more suitable site.”

The Kuala Kedah and Kuala Perlis jetties will not be closed after the new jetty is built. They will be used for other purposes including cargo services or for fishermen.

Dredging at Kuala Kedah was 75% complete and is expected to be fully completed in November, while dredging at Kuala Perlis was slightly delayed due to equipment problems and lack of manpower.

The contract calls for completion next year, he said.