Manaung-Taungup express boats resume operations after COVID-19 suspension

By Aung Kaung Zaw 18 Dec 2020

Aung Kaung Zaw | DMG
18 December 2020, Manaung

Express boats running between Manaung and Taungup townships resumed services on December 18 after being suspended for four months due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to operators of the passenger vessels.

Ko Nyi Win Sein, manager of the Mayga Arrman boat service, said routes and scheduling will depend on the numbers of passengers looking for waterborne transport.

“Our service has been suspended with our own consent. The service will resume on December 18, but the boats will not run as usual. We will operate the service according to the number of passengers,” he said.

Ko Nyi Win Sein added that express boat companies like his are taking necessary measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, such as ensuring passengers wear personal protective equipment including face masks, as well as spraying disinfectant in the boats.

The chairman of Manaung Public Company, which is involved in coordinating flight services for airlines in Arakan State, said he was not aware of an exact date for the resumption of flights on Yangon-Manaung-Kyaukphyu-Sittwe routes operated by Myanmar National Airlines.

“The government allowed domestic flights to resume on December 16. But we do not know the date to run the flights for Manaung-Yangon-Sittwe-Kyaukphyu routes,” said U Tun Hlaing, the company chair.

The express boat services of Shwe Pyi Tan, Shwe Lin Yone and Mayga Arrman offer routes to Manaung Township.