The Largest wooden Arabic dhow in the world was verified by Guinness World Records today in Dubai. The ship is called ‘Obaid’ in reference to Obaid Jumaa bin Majid Al Falasi, an Emirati shipbuilder who began an apprenticeship at the age of nine in the mid-1940s.
The majestic dhow measures 91.47 meters long and 20.41 meters wide. It is the length and almost half the width of a standard American football field. Hypothetically speaking, balancing this huge structure on either its bow or stern vertically would make this dhow stand almost as tall as the Big Ben in London.
Key information
- The dhow measures 91.47 meters long and 20.41 meters wide.
- It stands at a height of 11.229 meters, and it weighs 2500 tonnes.
- It has an estimated load capacity of up to 6,000 tonnes.
- There might be around 1,700 tonnes of wood, and 800 tonnes of steel in it. The wood was brought from Africa, and it is mainly a jungle wood, as only nearly half of what you buy is usable.
- It has two 1850 horsepower engines.
- It will transport cargo from the UAE to Yemen, Somalia, Sudan, Egypt, Kenya, Pakistan, India, and maybe Iraq.
The art of dhow building in Dubai
Building a big handmade boat in a country with no forests is a challenge, but crafting the world’s largest dhow is a challenge on a higher level. Decades on from the heyday of the Creek’s trading boats, a family-run yard still produces traditional hand-built vessels – and most importantly has just been recognized with the Guinness World Records title of the Largest wooden Arabic dhow.
The work started years ago, with no actual engineering vision or blueprints but was massively developed and scaled up. Local craftsmen say they own the experience, describing it as the ‘art of dhow building’.
According to Majid Obaid Al Falasi, aged 52, it is not for prestige that drove him to build the largest dhow, but for his late father, Obaid Jumaa bin Majid Al Falasi.
“Our forefathers were divers. Our ancestors worked in the sea. My own father perused this craftmanship for almost all his life. This is a gratitude to my father, and my country which always aims for the forefront positions”
Majid Obaid Al Falasi
“We tried to get the longest pieces of log available. We are born as dhow builders, and can build dhows using other material, but wood keeps its identity. This achievement is just the inevitable continuation for building dhows in the world,” he added.
A modern adaptation is adding steal to the wooden structure. The majestic dhow is larger and stronger than a traditional one and will be able to carry four times more cargo in and out from Dubai’s docks.
