The number of passengers carried by the National Ferries Company during the first half of the year rose by 104 per cent compared to that during the same period last year.

The statistical data issued by Communications and Booking Office affiliated of the company pointed out that the gross number of passengers on board the ferries during the first half reached 13,930 compared to 6,826 for the same period last year. The statistics also showed that the total number of vehicles shipped on board ferries reached 2,168.

The data also revealed that there was a significant achievement in the first half of the year regarding the launch of the service between Shinas Port and Khasab Port, through which 2,931 passengers and 634 vehicles were transported. During the first half of the year, the company managed to receive the Middle East Tourism Award highlighting the distinguished efforts and services of the company in maritime transportation.

The company also managed to realise several national objectives concerning the nationalisation of the technical and administrative activity. It also managed to achieve a prominent position in terms of social responsibility, meet the requirements and standards of maritime environment preservation, boost regional development by enabling the services to reach the small coastal residential complexes, provide several job opportunities to the Omani youth, realise the Omanisation percentage in all the administrative and technical jobs.

The data also reported that the company managed to fulfil the operational safety standards during sailing, making the company able to cope with the world’s safety standards and practices. Ghazi Abdullah bin Abdullah al Zedjali, Marketing and Communications Manager, expressed happiness over the progress realised by the company in the first half of the year concerning the increase of bookings in terms of passengers and vehicle shipment.

Al Zedjali also stated that in the future there will be promising trends as the company has announced an international tender for studying the feasibility of operating fast ferries from Omani ports to some neighbouring ports under Ishiq Abad Agreement in addition to the recent consent of the Tender Board to award the project of designing and building two ferries for (Shannah — Masirah) route in Al Sharqiyah Governorate.