DOHA: The Ministry of Transport (MoT) has announced it has completed the infrastructure works of the first phase of the Water Taxi project, which consists of the Lusail Ferry Terminal and two ferry stops; Pearl Ferry Stop and Corniche Ferry Stop.
The announcement was made at the Qatar Boat Show, runnimg at the Old Doha Port with participation from over 450 maritime companies and trademarks. The MoT is the strategic partneroftheShow.
The MoT booth in the show displays a mockup of the Lusail Ferry Terminal. The booth also features a visual presentation of the project’s facilities. The Water Taxi project aims at providing modern waterborne public transportation systems equipped with cutting-edge ecofriendly technologies. It also aims at enhancing integration with other public transit systems to transport passengers to and from various destinations. The plan is to connect that project, when it begins operations, with Sila public transit system, in step with MOT’s general frameworks that aim to achieve the goals of the Qatar 3rd National Development Strategy, which focuses on benefiting from advanced technologies, sustainable development, and economic diversification all the way to achieving the pillars of the QNV2030.
The main Lusail Ferry Terminal spans an area of over 2200 sq. m. It includes a pontoon equipped with electric chargers for ferry recharging. The pontoon can accommodate four 24-meter-long. The terminal also includes a waiting area, ticketing facility, and various service facilities such as retailing and offices. The two ferry stops at the Pearl and Corniche also include pontoons, ticketing offices, and customer service offices.
The MoT says work is underway to select a project operator and the types of ferries for transporting passengers. The second phase will cover other areas such as Katara, Old Doha Port, Hamad International Airport, and Al-Wakra. The third phase is to connect the Old Doha Port with Al-Khour in northern Qatar, passing by Lusail City and Simaisma, as per the studies to be conducted later.
The Water Taxi project contributes to supporting Qatar’s tourism profile and Qatar Tourism’s plans and efforts by promoting domestic travel by ferries.