Two new high speed ferries have just arrived and will dramatically improve service on the Red Sea between Egypt and Saudi Arabia. The two Austral built 88 meter catamarans can carry both passengers and vehicles and will run between Dibba in Saudi Arabia and Safaga in Egypt. King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and the Egyptian President Mohammed Hosni Mubarak marked the occasion with a ceremony for the Riyadh and the Cairo.
Each vessel can carry 1200 passengers, 150 cars and 15 trucks. They can also travel in excess of 35 knots on the open water, making them very fast. The new ferries will reduce the current eight hour trip between Dibba and Safaga to around three hours. The new boats were presented to Egypt as a gift from Saudi Arabia.
The Egyptian Minister of Transport Mohamed Mansour thanked King Abdullah and the Saudi people for presenting the two ships as a gift which he said reflected the friendship and cooperation between two brotherly countries. King Abdullah handed the ships’ ownership documents over to the President Mubarak before the two leaders toured the ships.
Austral is continuing construction on two additional 69 meter catamarans that will be owned and operated by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and are scheduled for delivery in mid 2009.
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