The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) of Dubai recently awarded a three-year contract to Drydocks World, covering the maintenance of marine transit modes, namely the Dubai ferry, water bus, and the water taxi.

Dr Yousef Al Ali, CEO of RTA’s Public Transport Agency, reaffirmed RTA’s keenness to explore prospects of joint cooperation with other UAE public and private entities in launching joint ventures and activities to promote marine transport, particularly in matters related to the provision of high-level maintenance services.

This will bring about a host of benefits towards maintaining public assets, and engaging in joint efforts for uplifting performance and sustaining communication between the two parties to achieve their common interests, he said.

“Drydocks World was selected thanks to its firmly established reputation in the building and maintenance of ships, and engaging in several projects worldwide,” said Al Ali.

“The contract with Drydocks focuses on realizing mutual benefits by mapping out a framework for mutual partnerships and unleashing joint efforts to improve performance and efficiency of marine transport services, besides realizing RTA’s strategic goals, such as promoting mass transit with a view to increasing the number of public transport users in the emirate,” continued Al Ali.

“This drive requires to be supported by highly efficient maintenance services to reduce breakdowns of water bus, water taxis & ferry, which would raise the public satisfaction with the marine transit services, thus increase the ridership of such modes.

“Over the next three years, the new contract will serve other RTA’s strategic goals including achieving financial & asset sustainability by performing optimal maintenance based on plans set and approved by the RTA. This will augment marine transit revenues by means of minimizing breakdowns; which will translate into a remarkable increase in the ridership of these modes and accordingly the number of daily trips operated,” he concluded. – TradeArabia News Service