Oman’s National Ferries Company (NFC) announced on Monday that it will start operations to Bandar Abbas and Qeshm Island in Iran from July 28. Mehdi bin Mohammed al Abdawani, CEO of NFC said that the launch will be held to mark sultanate’s celebrations of the Renaissance Day.

Abdawani said that the service will start from the Port of Khasab in the Governorate of Musandam to Bahonar Port in Bandar Abbas via the Port of Bahman in Qeshm Island, twice a week for six months as an experiment.

He added that the said date was approved for the regional line between the sultanate’s and Iranian ports following a meeting of all interested parties and official bodies in Oman and Iran. Abdawani said that the executive management of NFC is working to ensure that all concerned parties fully coordinate with various government agencies to facilitate the travel of citizens and residents to Iran.

Abdawani said that people can travel visa free to the Qeshm Island while a visa is required from the Iranian Embassy in Oman for visits to the city of Bandar Abbas.

He said that talks are on with Iran’s Hormozgan Province for issuing visas to Omani visitors upon their arrival at Bandar Abbas port. Abdawani said that the journey from Khasab to Qeshm Island takes an hour and a half while it takes two hours to reach Bandar Abbas.

He said that the ferries will only carry passengers and goods until the completion of the construction of a bridge for vehicle shipment in some Iranian ports.

(Source: Muscat Daily)