DUBAI // Partly sunk, waterlogged, full of holes and tilting dangerously, the large wooden dhow appeared to have been long forgotten.
The shell was perhaps left to its fate more than two years ago, but on Wednesday authorities dragged it to the banks of Al Jadaf from where it was left, about 100 metres into the Dubai Creek.
The boat may have once travelled the high seas, transporting cargo, or it may have simply ferried people across the creek. No one will ever know for sure unless its owner turns up within the next 10 days to claim it. Otherwise, it will be destroyed.
This week, Dubai Municipality warned owners who have abandoned their vessels on the creek that it will confiscate and destroy the boats if they do not try to remove them by May 6.
Private companies will provide free services to the municipality as part of their corporate responsibility, authorities said.
The wooden dhow in Al Jadaf is one of 10 boats, six large and four small, that the municipality says are "neglected, dilapidated or abandoned for a long time along the banks of Dubai Creek".
"Some of them are sinking, they are partially inside the water," said Yaqoob Al Ali, the head of the specialised cleaning section of the municipality's waste management department.
"Some have been left for repairing. After 10 days we will remove them. We will destroy and throw them in the dumping yard."
Mr Al Ali said most of the vessels were sitting opposite the Dubai Festival City and were an eyesore.
"People going by can see them," he said.
The 10 boats, aged between two and 12 years, were scattered in deep and shallow waters. They were once cargo ships, floating restaurants and tourist ferries. Their sizes range from 25 feet to 95 feet.
In an official announcement this week, the department urged dhow owners to act quickly, as many of the crumbling wooden and fibreglass boats were "distorting the appearance of the emirate and endangering the marine environment".
"It gives a bad view for Dubai and can be dangerous for other boats and the environment," said Adel Al Karrani, the head of the waste management department's waterways unit.
This is the third consecutive year the municipality is hauling away old boats that have been left behind by neglectful masters.
"In 2010 we removed 14 boats," Mr Al Karrani said. "That was the first time we were doing this and it was a big challenge as some boats had been on the creek for nearly 20 years.
"They were in a very bad shape and it was really hard finding the owners and removing the boats."
Last year the municipality removed six boats. This year, the final phase of the clean-up operation in Al Jadaf is expected when authorities remove the last batch of old vessels.
Mr Al Karrani said most boats were left there because it was a "dead" part of the creek, rarely used by commercial and tourist boats.
A boat captain now regularly patrols the area to monitor the cleanliness of the creek and keep an eye on abandoned watercraft.
Mr Al Karrani hopes these regular inspections will ensure vessels are not left behind for too long.
His department takes boats to the dumping yard only after several notices have been sent.
"We put out many warning letters and try hard to contact the owners," said Mr Al Karrani.
"Some people are very co-operative and they take out the boats when they see the letters.
"The problem is when we don't know the owners. Most of them don't come back as the boats are in very bad condition and it is very expensive to lift them from the creek. Maybe they have left the country."
Mr Al Karrani said the municipality did not fine people when they returned to stake their ownership.
"It is very easy for us when they do that," he said.
"We don't have to take them to the dumping yard then."
pkannan@thenational.ae
The biog
Name: Abeer Al Bah
Born: 1972
Husband: Emirati lawyer Salem Bin Sahoo, since 1992
Children: Soud, born 1993, lawyer; Obaid, born 1994, deceased; four other boys and one girl, three months old
Education: BA in Elementary Education, worked for five years in a Dubai school
The biog
First Job: Abu Dhabi Department of Petroleum in 1974
Current role: Chairperson of Al Maskari Holding since 2008
Career high: Regularly cited on Forbes list of 100 most powerful Arab Businesswomen
Achievement: Helped establish Al Maskari Medical Centre in 1969 in Abu Dhabi’s Western Region
Future plan: Will now concentrate on her charitable work
Eyasses squad
Charlie Preston (captain) – goal shooter/ goalkeeper (Dubai College)
Arushi Holt (vice-captain) – wing defence / centre (Jumeriah English Speaking School)
Olivia Petricola (vice-captain) – centre / wing attack (Dubai English Speaking College)
Isabel Affley – goalkeeper / goal defence (Dubai English Speaking College)
Jemma Eley – goal attack / wing attack (Dubai College)
Alana Farrell-Morton – centre / wing / defence / wing attack (Nord Anglia International School)
Molly Fuller – goal attack / wing attack (Dubai College)
Caitlin Gowdy – goal defence / wing defence (Dubai English Speaking College)
Noorulain Hussain – goal defence / wing defence (Dubai College)
Zahra Hussain-Gillani – goal defence / goalkeeper (British School Al Khubairat)
Claire Janssen – goal shooter / goal attack (Jumeriah English Speaking School)
Eliza Petricola – wing attack / centre (Dubai English Speaking College)
SERIE A FIXTURES
Saturday (UAE kick-off times)
Atalanta v Juventus (6pm)
AC Milan v Napoli (9pm)
Torino v Inter Milan (11.45pm)
Sunday
Bologna v Parma (3.30pm)
Sassuolo v Lazio (6pm)
Roma v Brescia (6pm)
Verona v Fiorentina (6pm)
Sampdoria v Udinese (9pm)
Lecce v Cagliari (11.45pm)
Monday
SPAL v Genoa (11.45pm)
What are NFTs?
Are non-fungible tokens a currency, asset, or a licensing instrument? Arnab Das, global market strategist EMEA at Invesco, says they are mix of all of three.
You can buy, hold and use NFTs just like US dollars and Bitcoins. “They can appreciate in value and even produce cash flows.”
However, while money is fungible, NFTs are not. “One Bitcoin, dollar, euro or dirham is largely indistinguishable from the next. Nothing ties a dollar bill to a particular owner, for example. Nor does it tie you to to any goods, services or assets you bought with that currency. In contrast, NFTs confer specific ownership,” Mr Das says.
This makes NFTs closer to a piece of intellectual property such as a work of art or licence, as you can claim royalties or profit by exchanging it at a higher value later, Mr Das says. “They could provide a sustainable income stream.”
This income will depend on future demand and use, which makes NFTs difficult to value. “However, there is a credible use case for many forms of intellectual property, notably art, songs, videos,” Mr Das says.
Fight card
1. Bantamweight: Victor Nunes (BRA) v Siyovush Gulmamadov (TJK)
2. Featherweight: Hussein Salim (IRQ) v Shakhriyor Juraev (UZB)
3. Catchweight 80kg: Rashed Dawood (UAE) v Khamza Yamadaev (RUS)
4. Lightweight: Ho Taek-oh (KOR) v Ronald Girones (CUB)
5. Lightweight: Arthur Zaynukov (RUS) v Damien Lapilus (FRA)
6. Bantamweight: Vinicius de Oliveira (BRA) v Furkatbek Yokubov (RUS)
7. Featherweight: Movlid Khaybulaev (RUS) v Zaka Fatullazade (AZE)
8. Flyweight: Shannon Ross (TUR) v Donovon Freelow (USA)
9. Lightweight: Mohammad Yahya (UAE) v Dan Collins (GBR)
10. Catchweight 73kg: Islam Mamedov (RUS) v Martun Mezhulmyan (ARM)
11. Bantamweight World title: Jaures Dea (CAM) v Xavier Alaoui (MAR)
12. Flyweight World title: Manon Fiorot (FRA) v Gabriela Campo (ARG)
Scoreline
Syria 1-1 Australia
Syria Al Somah 85'
Australia Kruse 40'
Results:
6.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-2 (PA) | Group 1 US$75,000 (Dirt) | 2,200 metres
Winner: Goshawke, Fernando Jara (jockey), Ali Rashid Al Raihe (trainer)
7.05pm: UAE 1000 Guineas (TB) | Listed $250,000 (D) | 1,600m
Winner: Silva, Oisin Murphy, Pia Brendt
7.40pm: Meydan Classic Trial (TB) | Conditions $100,000 (Turf) | 1,400m
Winner: Golden Jaguar, Connor Beasley, Ahmad bin Harmash
8.15pm: Al Shindagha Sprint (TB) | Group 3 $200,000 (D) | 1,200m
Winner: Drafted, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson
8.50pm: Handicap (TB) | $175,000 (D) | 1,600m
Winner: Capezzano, Mickael Barzalona, Sandeep Jadhav
9.25pm: Handicap (TB) | $175,000 (T) | 2,000m
Winner: Oasis Charm, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
10pm: Handicap (TB) | $135,000 (T) | 1,600m
Winner: Escalator, Christopher Hayes, Charlie Fellowes
What is cyberbullying?
Cyberbullying or online bullying could take many forms such as sending unkind or rude messages to someone, socially isolating people from groups, sharing embarrassing pictures of them, or spreading rumors about them.
Cyberbullying can take place on various platforms such as messages, on social media, on group chats, or games.
Parents should watch out for behavioural changes in their children.
When children are being bullied they they may be feel embarrassed and isolated, so parents should watch out for signs of signs of depression and anxiety
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
