Abu Dhabi Maritime, which oversees the emirate's waterways and marine ecosystems, has taken over the management of all ferry services operating within the capital's waterways.
Operating under AD Ports Group, with guidance from the Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT), the organisation is integrating the Ferry Operations Branch of the Integrated Transport Centre (ITC) under the scope of its services, Abu Dhabi Maritime said in a statement on Friday.
The move will include the entity managing and overseeing daily operations of the emirate's two major ferry lines — the Dalma Island Water Transport Service, which connects Dalma Island and Jebel Dhanna Port, and Al Aliah Island Water Transport Service, which connects Al Aliah Island and Al Saadiyat Island.
The transition is in line with Abu Dhabi Maritime’s mandate to position the emirate as a top global maritime centre through development of user-friendly regulation, advanced infrastructure and quality services.
“The move will also support developing the maritime transport infrastructure further to serve the growing number of ferry users and will ensure a smoother experience for all commuters,” said Hamad Al Mutawa, executive director of Planning and Infrastructure Sector at DMT.
“This will also provide a sustained push to attract more tourists, support the economic development and give residents and tourists alike a safe, comfortable and reliable travel option in the emirate.”
As part of its new responsibilities, the organisation will also drive the development of several key business areas related to ferry operations. These include building new infrastructure such as ferry stations, the acquisition of vessels, improving staff capabilities, fostering third-party contractor relationships and leading the digitalisation of Abu Dhabi’s ferry services.
“Offering a world-class ferry service for vehicle and passenger traffic is a hallmark of a well-developed maritime capital, and the transition will help enhance the sector’s contribution to Abu Dhabi’s non-oil GDP [gross domestic product] by enhancing user experience and further attracting the local and global community to explore all that our maritime domain has to offer,” said Capt Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, group chief executive of Abu Dhabi Ports.
Abu Dhabi Maritime was established in 2020 to develop a regulatory framework and drive the development of modern infrastructure and world-class services.
“The transfer of all ferry services under the jurisdiction of Abu Dhabi Maritime marks yet another critical step in our organisation’s efforts to consolidate all related water transport services under a single umbrella,” said Saif Al Mheiri, managing director of Abu Dhabi Maritime at AD Ports Group.
“We will support and oversee the ferry services’ daily operations and the future expansion of their activities in line with the overall growth of our maritime sector.”
In addition to optimising operations and achieving new levels of efficiency across all ferry-related activities, Abu Dhabi Maritime aims to further improve the user experience through innovation and digitalisation,” Mr Al Mheiri added.
This will include an online digital ticketing system and integrating with other related water transport services, he said.
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
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GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
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- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
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Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
ZAYED SUSTAINABILITY PRIZE
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Company%20Profile
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CHELSEA'S NEXT FIVE GAMES
Mar 10: Norwich(A)
Mar 13: Newcastle(H)
Mar 16: Lille(A)
Mar 19: Middlesbrough(A)
Apr 2: Brentford(H)
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Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
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More on Quran memorisation:
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
Friday Stuttgart v Cologne (Kick-off 10.30pm UAE)
Saturday RB Leipzig v Hertha Berlin (5.30pm)
Mainz v Borussia Monchengladbach (5.30pm)
Bayern Munich v Eintracht Frankfurt (5.30pm)
Union Berlin v SC Freiburg (5.30pm)
Borussia Dortmund v Schalke (5.30pm)
Sunday Wolfsburg v Arminia (6.30pm)
Werder Bremen v Hoffenheim (9pm)
Bayer Leverkusen v Augsburg (11.30pm)
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
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How Voiss turns words to speech
The device has a screen reader or software that monitors what happens on the screen
The screen reader sends the text to the speech synthesiser
This converts to audio whatever it receives from screen reader, so the person can hear what is happening on the screen
A VOISS computer costs between $200 and $250 depending on memory card capacity that ranges from 32GB to 128GB
The speech synthesisers VOISS develops are free
Subsequent computer versions will include improvements such as wireless keyboards
Arabic voice in affordable talking computer to be added next year to English, Portuguese, and Spanish synthesiser
Partnerships planned during Expo 2020 Dubai to add more languages
At least 2.2 billion people globally have a vision impairment or blindness
More than 90 per cent live in developing countries
The Long-term aim of VOISS to reach the technology to people in poor countries with workshops that teach them to build their own device
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
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Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
