DB World in the Emirate of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, honored Majid Obeid Al Falasi in recognition of his efforts to build the world’s largest traditional Arabic wooden ship.
The slave ship is 92 meters long and over 11 meters high. The ship was hand-built by family-owned Majid Obaid Bin Majid Al Falasi, a Dubai-based ship and boat manufacturer, using 1,700 tons of African teak wood reinforced with 800 tons of steel, making it larger and stronger than traditional wooden ships. four times the payload. The ship, thanks to two 1850 horsepower engines, can sail at speeds up to 14 knots, and the ship handles import and export operations through Dubai Creek, Deira Harbor and Hamriya Port.
Majid Al Falasi said: “Since the 1970s, my father had a vision to build the largest traditional wooden ship in the world. At the time, we knew that achieving this vision would be a challenge, as it took us three and a half years to build this ship to achieve what we have achieved today. This wooden ship will link trade between the UAE and a number of countries including Yemen, Somalia, Sudan and Egypt, as well as Kenya, Pakistan and India, thus expanding the opportunities for the UAE’s commercial sector. We are proud of this honor, which is a testament to the hard work and great efforts we put in. Our partnership with DB World will also help revive the trade in goods transported by traditional wooden ships and take it to the next level.”
Hisham Abdullah, Executive Director of the UAE’s dbworld Department of General Cargo and Vehicles, said: dbworld has played a vital role in the movement of goods since the founding of the UAE. Wooden ships are the ideal choice for transporting goods to and from neighboring areas, allowing us to reach consumers in key wholesale markets. The feat of Abeid’s Ark in obtaining this international recognition is an inspiration to all of us and encourages us to think of higher ranks and reach more and more prominent horizons. We believe this wooden vessel will help drive the movement of non-container trade and encourage local merchants to access key markets in the UAE, the GCC and the wider region.”
DB World has always been a pioneer in the development of the wooden boat trade sector in the region. In 2020, DB World, with the launch of its Now digital marketplace, successfully digitized the entire traditional wooden ship trading process for the first time. A smart app connects wooden ship owners with merchants, allowing them to search, negotiate and reserve items available for shipping. The app also uses artificial intelligence techniques to help wooden ship captains plan their trips and improve the space efficiency of their ships, allowing them to earn higher incomes.
