With effect from 30th April 1966, Oman's postal service was taken over by Oman government, and the first set of Omani postage stamps was issued depicting the port of Muscat, the great forts, and the national crest. The stamps bore the inscription 'Sultanate of Oman' was then adopted in accordance with the announcement by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos that the name of the country was to be changed from 'Muscat and Oman' to the 'Sultanate Of Oman' (on 9th August 1970). The postal service as it is today officially comprises a number of offices, specialized employees, and various means of transport, controlled by government, semi-government, and private departments, whose object is to receive and deliver postal items, including both letters and parcels.