The Asyad managed ports of Port Sultan Qaboos and Ports of Khasab, Suwaiq and Shinas, have seen a 17 per cent increase in direct imports compared to 2019. The ports handled one 1,722,000 tons of general cargo in 2020. This surge in the volume of direct imports included 245,000 tons of fruits and vegetables -as well as 954,000 heads of cattle- handled through MARAFI, recording a fourfold growth of 381 per cent against 2019. The commercial vessels rose to 4,350, a rise of 5 per cent in the number of ships in 2020 versus 2019. The cruise vessels decreased by 72 due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, which caused cruising lines to suspend their operations worldwide.