The Marine Agency of Dubai’s Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) has chosen a Damen Shipyards, Holland, design for the $50 million Ferry Dubai project initially planned to carry three million passengers a year from Dubai Creek to the city’s offshore islands such as Nakheel’s The World and the Palm Trilogy.
“Ferry Dubai has a spectacular design, a dual base (Catamaran Low Wash), an air-conditioned interior, and comfortable seating for 100 passengers (84 seats as economy class, 14 seats as business class and 2 seats for people with special needs),” said Mattar Al-Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of the RTA, at a press conference. “Ferry Dubai will be fitted with three LCD and DVD monitors, three toilets (for men, women and special need persons), and a kiosk for selling gift items and snacks. Ferry Dubai extends 32 meters in length and 7.2 meters in width, and has a designed speed of up to 24 knots per hour. Each boat weighs around 20 tons and is fitted with twin diesel engines of 450 hp.”