• Home

Firm says ferry service to Iraq port will continue

Fahmi Al Fateh, General Manager of Al Thuraya Marine Services, said they have not received any official instructions from either local authorities or the international forces enforcing sanctions on Iraq to suspend trips, and will continue to operate until otherwise advised.

Al Thuraya referred to a recent increase in the number of passengers coming from Iraq and leaving for Iraq, by between 10 to 15 per cent, with the majority of travellers being students, elderly people and businessmen. The company said that ticket prices did not increase due to the increase in demand, instead the number of trips were increased.

"We have three weekly trips to Umm Qaser and we have not received any instruction from any authority to stop our trips. In fact, the number of passengers coming from Iraq has increased between 10 to 20 per cent," Al Fateh said.

Another ferry service to Iraq's Umm Qaser Port from Port Rashid run by Naif Marine Services has been temporarily suspended as of yesterday morning until further notice for safety reasons, a spokesperson for the company said yesterday.

Michael Nye, General Manager of Naif Marine Services, which runs the ferry service under United Nations auspices, told Khaleej Times that the company did not get any official advisory from the UN on the security situation and its impact on ferry trips to Iraq, but decided to suspend trips to ensure the safety of its ships, crew and passengers.

"We had a scheduled trip today but we cancelled it and will suspend all other trips as we do not wish to place our ships, passengers and crew in any danger in view of the current situation. We operate our service with the permission of the UN but the world body has not yet advised us officially on the security situation, nor do I expect them to," Mr Nye said.

He said that prior to the suspension of trips, bookings on the Iraq ferry were normal with the majority of travellers being Iraqi expatriates who live and work in the UAE. He said that ticket prices did not experience any fluctuation in the past weeks due to the impending threat of war on Iraq.

Mr Nye said that anyone who has purchased tickets on Naif Marine Service ferries will get their money refunded. "We hope to resume services within a short time. This is only a temporary measure, but our main concern at this time is the safety of our ships, crew and passengers," Mr Nye said.

With an attack on Iraq almost a certainty, even telephone communication is unreliable, at best. Wissam is an Iraqi working in the UAE, the last time his family paid him a visit was last summer, he was hoping to go down to Iraq this summer, but said that due to the current situation he has put those plans on hold.

"Right now it's even difficult to get a telephone line to Iraq, you have to call through the operator and even then it is uncertain if you get through or not. The situation is very difficult indeed. May God help us all, those in Iraq and in the whole region. That is all a citizen can say right now," Wissam said.

Mahmoud, another Iraqi expatriate, lives in the UAE with his wife and children, but the rest of his family, including his brothers, are back home.

• UAE