ABU DHABI // For visitors, the Abu Dhabi Yacht Show was a spectacle. A fleet of sleek and opulent vessels to make the mouth water and the imagination reel. There was even a final-day coda of lightning and rain over Yas Island Marina last night.
"This is a fantastic setting," said Ameera Albraiki, an Abu Dhabi resident. "These boats are beautiful."
For brokers and shipyards, however, the show was not quite the same success. Potential buyers were thin on the ground.
"Very disappointing, in terms of turnout of clients," said Jonathan Beckett of London-based Burgess Yachts.
He said the number of serious visitors was low, especially given the calibre of the exhibitors.
The sale of boats can be crucial to the future of a prestige show such as this one.
An industry rule of thumb is that to bring a 40-metre yacht such as "Blink", being shown by Burgess, on a yacht-carrier from the Mediterranean costs more than US$200,000 (Dh735,000), while bringing a large yacht from Florida under its own power, a trip of up to 40 days, could cost $500,000.
"People will think very hard about bringing a yacht to a show if they think they will have to take it back again afterwards," said Mr Beckett. "Especially these days because we are still in difficult economic times."
An important factor in Abu Dhabi's favour is its potential to become a base for yachts doing the Indian Ocean charter season. That will only improve, given the investment being made in marina infrastructure and services, by Aldar especially.
Among the vessels that commanded attention were the Vitruvius series of motor yachts from Perini Navi, the Italian builder; the fashion-yachting collaboration between Monaco-based Wally Yachts and Hermés, a severely triangular vessel which was as much floating private island as motor yacht; and the Linda Lou, a 60m yacht from the German shipyard Lürrsen which was designed by Espen Oino with opulent interiors by Franco Zuretti.
Some who attended the show mentioned that it was difficult to navigate the grounds. The director of a leading shipyard said it was "commercially disastrous" not to have the exhibition stands near the boats, as is commonly done.
Clearly, it is early days for Abu Dhabi's yacht show and, as Cyril Le Sourd, of Abu Dhabi MAR, pointed out: "It is so new and completely different from anywhere else. It just hasn't found its proper location and organisation yet."
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Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
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The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
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Company Profile
Company name: Big Farm Brothers
Started: September 2020
Founders: Vishal Mahajan and Navneet Kaur
Based: Dubai Investment Park 1
Industry: food and agriculture
Initial investment: $205,000
Current staff: eight to 10
Future plan: to expand to other GCC markets
Day 5, Abu Dhabi Test: At a glance
Moment of the day When Dilruwan Perera dismissed Yasir Shah to end Pakistan’s limp resistance, the Sri Lankans charged around the field with the fevered delirium of a side not used to winning. Trouble was, they had not. The delivery was deemed a no ball. Sri Lanka had a nervy wait, but it was merely a stay of execution for the beleaguered hosts.
Stat of the day – 5 Pakistan have lost all 10 wickets on the fifth day of a Test five times since the start of 2016. It is an alarming departure for a side who had apparently erased regular collapses from their resume. “The only thing I can say, it’s not a mitigating excuse at all, but that’s a young batting line up, obviously trying to find their way,” said Mickey Arthur, Pakistan’s coach.
The verdict Test matches in the UAE are known for speeding up on the last two days, but this was extreme. The first two innings of this Test took 11 sessions to complete. The remaining two were done in less than four. The nature of Pakistan’s capitulation at the end showed just how difficult the transition is going to be in the post Misbah-ul-Haq era.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Europe’s rearming plan
- Suspend strict budget rules to allow member countries to step up defence spending
- Create new "instrument" providing €150 billion of loans to member countries for defence investment
- Use the existing EU budget to direct more funds towards defence-related investment
- Engage the bloc's European Investment Bank to drop limits on lending to defence firms
- Create a savings and investments union to help companies access capital
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Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
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THE BIO
Family: I have three siblings, one older brother (age 25) and two younger sisters, 20 and 13
Favourite book: Asking for my favourite book has to be one of the hardest questions. However a current favourite would be Sidewalk by Mitchell Duneier
Favourite place to travel to: Any walkable city. I also love nature and wildlife
What do you love eating or cooking: I’m constantly in the kitchen. Ever since I changed the way I eat I enjoy choosing and creating what goes into my body. However, nothing can top home cooked food from my parents.
Favorite place to go in the UAE: A quiet beach.
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Moral education needed in a 'rapidly changing world'
Moral education lessons for young people is needed in a rapidly changing world, the head of the programme said.
Alanood Al Kaabi, head of programmes at the Education Affairs Office of the Crown Price Court - Abu Dhabi, said: "The Crown Price Court is fully behind this initiative and have already seen the curriculum succeed in empowering young people and providing them with the necessary tools to succeed in building the future of the nation at all levels.
"Moral education touches on every aspect and subject that children engage in.
"It is not just limited to science or maths but it is involved in all subjects and it is helping children to adapt to integral moral practises.
"The moral education programme has been designed to develop children holistically in a world being rapidly transformed by technology and globalisation."
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
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Less than 5,000 steps - sedentary
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylturbo
Transmission: seven-speed DSG automatic
Power: 242bhp
Torque: 370Nm
Price: Dh136,814
