New rules coming for cruise ships, yachts and water sports, says Oman government

Muscat: New regulations are coming to oversee cruise ships, yachts and water sports vessels, in an effort to protect residents and tourists alike, the Ministry of Transport and Communications has announced.
“The Ministry is in the process of issuing a regulation entitled, ‘Regulation of the organising and operating of marine tourism units, yachts and cruise boats, water sports boats’,” a spokesman said.
The regulations will cover the territorial seas of Oman and beyond. The news was announced at a meeting organised by the Ministry of Transport and Transport in the Musandam Governorate.
The movement of cruise ships in the Khasab port has increased from 12 in 2016 to 66 ships in 2016.
Passenger traffic at the Khasab port also surged between 2011 and 2016, from 2,391 passengers to 114,445 passengers in 2016.
The ministry has also agreed to build a four-star hotel on the port of Khasab with investment from the private sector.
A maritime safety section will also be opened in the Musandam Governorate, the ministry announced.
“The ministry is continuing to regulate the movement of boats and cruise ships through the application of regulations and is conducting inspection tours in coordination with the Coast Guard police to control illegal people, for residents’ safety and the safety of tourists,” Saeed Bin Hamdoon Al Harthy, undersecretary of Ports and Maritime Affairs, told the meeting.
The Ministry data shows 164,000 people visited the Sultanate via cruise ships up to the end of May 2017.
Among the visitors, around 88 per cent were from Europe, and of that 27 per cent were Germans.
“Oman has a huge potential for cruise tourism, and moreover, visitors see Oman as the safest place in the region,” Santhosh Kanakandath, managing director of Assaraya Travel and Tourism, told the Times of Oman. “With the recent initiatives adopted by the government, we see a bright future for Oman cruise tourism,” Kanakandath added.
In a statement uploaded on the ministry’s official website, Salim Adi Al Mamari, director general of Tourism Promotion, said Oman has seen a remarkable growth in cruise tourism, a trend that the Ministry of Tourism aims to promote and grow.
Oman’s Ministry of Tourism has also made facilities for the tourists to enjoy a range of water sporting activities, ranging from diving and surfing to traditional boating experiences in different ports of the Sultanate (Sultan Qaboos Port, Khasab Port and Salalah Port).
“The cruise tourism segment is a perfect gateway for tourists to discover the rich culture and beauty of the Sultanate. We will work on making this season a successful and wonderful experience, enriching the tourism sector in the Sultanate,” he said. The 2014-2015 season saw 109 cruise ships anchoring at the Sultan Qaboos Port, while the 2015-2016 season saw 135 cruise ships, indicating a 23.8 per cent increase.
Fred Olsen Cruise Lines, a U.K.-based, Norwegian-owned cruise shipping line, has also included Omani ports in its fly-cruise itineraries for 2018-2019.