Oman- 22% rise in NFC passenger traffic
(MENAFN- Muscat Daily) Muscat-
Statistics released by the National Ferries Company (NFC) show an increase of 22 per cent in the number of passengers (122,699) till the end of July, compared to 100,591 passengers in the same period of 2015.
The NFC statistics showed that January (23,544) witnessed the highest number of passengers, followed by July (22,828), May (18,638), April (17,118), March (14,258), February (14,022) and June (12,291). Statistics also showed an increase of 14 per cent in the total number of vehicles transported till the end of July (29,849), compared to 26,188 in the same period last year. January witnessed the highest number of ferried vehicles at 5,420, followed by July (5,206), May (4,759), April (4,445), March (3,485), February (3,478) and June (3,056). Statistics showed that Shannah-Masirah route recorded the highest passenger traffic till the end of July with 92,445 passengers at an occupancy rate of 45 per cent. It comprised 75 per cent of the total passengers, recording a growth of 11 per cent compared to the same period last year. Also, 26,820 vehicles were shipped on board this route, with 55 per cent occupancy rate, comprising 90 per cent of the total shipped vehicles on the routes and recording a growth of 18 per cent when compared to the same period in 2015. Dibba-Lima route stood second with 12,129 passengers at 76 per cent occupancy rate followed by Muscat-Khasab route with 4,471 (53 per cent occupancy rate). The route saw transportation of 1,198 vehicles with an occupancy rate of 70 per cent. This was followed by ferries on the Khasab-Shinas route, which transported 5,394 passengers, with 41 per cent occupancy rate. Also 1,363 vehicles were transported, with 51 per cent occupancy rate. Ferries on the ShinasDibba-Khasab route transported 4,719 passengers and 451 vehicles. The total number of passengers transported on the Khasab-Lima route was 2,417 while Lima-Shinas route saw 733 passengers being ferried. Ferry service to Iranian ports, was launched at the end of July. The first trip on the Khasab-Qeshm route saw 120 passengers being transported.