Penang Weld Quay: A Land Reclamation Project and Maritime Hub
Weld Quay, which is close to George Town’s main commercial district along Beach Street, was created as a result of an enormous land reclamation effort. The goal was to provide Penang Port more room because, by the late 19th century, it was unable to accommodate the expanding trade and business.
The area was given the name “Weld Quay” in honor of Frederick Weld, who served as New Zealand’s sixth premier in the 1860s. From 1880 until 1887, Weld presided as the Straits Settlements’ governor during the reclamation effort.
The 19th century saw a considerable increase in the volume of shipping via Penang’s port. It became the favored first port of call for ships sailing from the West to the East after India since it is located on the primary maritime route between India and China. In addition, the bustling tin mining sector made George Town a significant hub for tin smelting and export to Europe and America.
The most efficient way to increase capacity was to engage in a large-scale land reclamation project to accommodate the port’s expansion. The 1883-started project was finished in four years. New warehouses, jetties, and docking facilities were built in addition to the transportation infrastructure. The “clan jetties,” housing for Chinese coolies, were also constructed, with workers arranged according to their families names. The Chew Jetty is one such example; it still exists today.
After the project was finished, the Straits Times correspondent lauded the reclamation work, saying that it not only improved the island’s attractiveness but also expanded the size of the town and the value of the surrounding land. Previously, those living along the once-polluted seashore had to disassemble their homes and move to other areas of the city.
Weld Quay continued to be developed, and in 1904 the first deep-water docking facility in Penang, known as Swettenham Pier, was built. It was given Frank Swettenham’s name because he lived in Perak in the 1890s. The pier now acts as a mooring station for enormous cruise ships.
The Federated Malay States Railway building, often known as “Wisma Kastam,” is one of Weld Quay’s most noteworthy structures. Despite the lack of trains going to and from Penang, this 1907 construction still serves as an excellent railway ticket office. To catch a train, passengers must buy their tickets at the office, take the boat to Butterworth, and then catch the train at the current Butterworth station. The largest jetty on Weld Quay was operated by FMS Railways in 1901, and ferry steamers were used to transfer passengers there.
The area was developed in the 1960s and is now known as the Raja Tun Uda Ferry Terminal. It offers a practical terminal for the Rapid Ferry, a well-liked and reasonably priced ferry service linking Penang and Butterworth. Over the years, a lot of visitors have delighted in this beautiful method of getting to the island.
