RTA completes preparations for hosting 37th Interferry Conference

H.E. Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of the Roads & Transport Authority (RTA), announced that all preparations for hosting the Interferry Conference were completed and the event would see the participation of 350 delegates.

The 37th Interferry Conference, which will be accompanied by a host of activities & events, will discuss a number of key topics relating to marine transport such as means of coping with future challenges impacting the marine transport business, improving the operational efficiency, developing sources of clean energy (solar energy, natural gas), introducing modern communication systems linking the water transit mode with the control centers, and examining communications required with various security entities in order to address the requirements of conforming to the timetable of trips. The Conference will also discuss transportation systems & technologies related to the revenue collection process of marine transport means and the integration with various transport systems such as buses, and trains in the neighbourhood. The Conference will also look into the investment potentials in the field of marine transport and how to uplift the marine transport in developing countries.

At the sidelines of the Conference, an exhibition will be held where around 30 global firms & organizations specialized in manufacturing and operating mass marine transit modes will be represented. Participants will be treated to a tour of Dubai Creek to acquaint them with the marine heritage of the UAE, particularly transportation by abra in addition to visiting marine transit stations.

Marine transport is one of the oldest transportation modes in Dubai Emirate, where abras used to ply the Dubai Creek for about two centuries, thus viewed as an integral part of the Emirate's heritage and an important cultural icon. During the Conference, the RTA will arrange a special session to review its Strategic Plan of Public Transport, and the Master Plan of Marine Transport. RTA will shed light on its endeavours to upgrade marine transport modes; which used to be restricted to abras, by introducing the Water Bus, Water Taxi and Ferry Dubai.

The number of marine transport commuters in 2011 clocked about 14.221 million persons; 13.8 million of whom were lifted by abras, 371 thousand persons used the Water Bus, and about 13 thousand persons used the Water Taxi. The number of marine transport commuters in the first half of this year reached 6,898,644 persons of whom 6,678,798 passengers used abras, 174,269 passengers used the Water Bus, and 6,785 passengers used the Water Taxi.