Sawqrah

Muscat: An Omani ferry sailing from the Port of Khasab recently docked at Iran's Qeshm Island on a test voyage, prior to possibly offering ferry services between the two countries, said an Iranian official. "The Sawqrah ferry, which belongs to an Omani shipping company, is 52 metres long and has a capacity of 160 passengers. It docked in Qeshm's Bahman Port," Baqer Mousavi, director of Qeshm's ports and maritime administration, was quoted as saying on February 4 by Iran's Ports and Maritime Organisation. A number of officials from Oman's National Ferries Company (NFC) were on board the ship to examine the possibility of beginning regular ferry services between Khasab and Qeshm, which is Iran's largest island, said the official. The test trip boosted the prospects of carrying passengers and goods between Iranian and Omani ports. According to NFC, Sawqrah has been designed to transport passengers, vehicles and goods. It can accommodate 116 passengers in its business and economy class cabins. It also carried 22 vehicles, as well as a cargo of goods and cold containers. The ferry ship can travel at speeds of up to 40 knots per hour.Mousavi said that the infrastructure at Bahman Port has been developed and required standards have been put in place for the docking of international passenger ships. Source : times of Oman