Ferry Business - Summer/Spring 2020

1 3 0 INTERV IEW A Singapore trailblazer Max Tan tells Justin Merrigan how Majestic Fast Ferry is changing the face of ferry travel on Singapore Strait B oasting the youngest fleet by far on Singapore Strait, Majestic Fast Ferry offers passengers visiting the Indonesian getaway destinations of Batam and Bintan a fresh perspective when it comes to sea travel. The company bounced onto the scene in December 2014 with a youthful spring in its step and a clear mission to provide an efficient and unapologetically enjoyable travel experience for its passengers. Since then, its fleet has grown dramatically to 14 vessels that provide a total of 80 daily trips between Singapore and Batam and Tanjung Pining in Bintan. Managing director of Majestic Fast Ferry is Max Tan, a family man with a passion for continually lifting standards on the Strait. “Majestic Fast Ferry has to be bold and innovative to remain competitive and, as such, we are always ready to improvise and pioneer projects to create more accessibility while raising awareness with travellers,” he says. One such project is the company’s link from Singapore’s Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal, serving Changi Airport, to the Riau Islands. This has seen a steady increase in passenger numbers as awareness grows, helped by a shuttle bus running between the airport’s Terminals 1 and 4 every 30 minutes. Despite all the company has brought to the Strait, the business faces challenges, some stemming from an unexpected quarter. According to Tan, the newly built and technologically advanced fleet faces a competitive disadvantage due to local flag regulations that only affect new vessels, not older, non-High-Speed Craft (HSC) 2000 code vessels. “The biggest challenge for Majestic Fast Ferry operating from Singapore to Indonesia is that for any new route we want to run, like that from Tanah Merah, we have to make 20 trips with no passengers so that our officers are type-rated before we can submit for a route approval,” he explains. “Being HSC ferries, our vessels have advanced navigational and safety equipment conforming to latest safety standards, but our competitors have very old, non- HSC ships, and these don’t have to run empty trips. “On top of this, the Singapore Cruise Centre HarbourFront ferry terminal has reached its limit in terms of passenger volume. For us as a ferry operator, Photo: Incat Crowther