Related: Dubai International Boat Show sails into town with $1.5bn worth of vessels
Multimillion-dollar, custom-made yachts for the rich and famous will soon be built in Ras Al Khaimah.
Construction has begun on a factory that will build sleek, 55-foot and 70-foot twin-hull boats to supply a growing demand in the Middle East and Asia.
Francis Lapp, founder and president of Sunreef Yachts, says his ambition for the new Dh100 million ($27.2 million) shipyard is to eventually be the same size as the company’s facilities in Gdansk, Poland, which employs 2,000 people.
Even before the factory opens in September, work has begun on securing orders from buyers around the world, including Dubai, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, for bespoke, high-end catamarans with inbuilt solar panels.
This is the beginning. Two thousand [staff]? That is my dream for the next three-four years
Francis Lapp,
Sunreef Yachts
“From this facility in Ras Al Khaimah, we can deliver boats everywhere,” Mr Lapp told The National aboard his 80-foot yacht anchored in Dubai’s Palm Jumeirah marina.
“This is the right place to start something new. When finished, it will be the same size as we have in Poland eventually.”
The plan is for Sunreef's superyachts — which are longer than 24 metres or 78 feet and typically need a crew — to be built in Poland and the mid-range catamarans to be constructed in the UAE.
The price for compact 50-foot vessels to spacious transatlantic 140-foot yachts ranges from $2 million to $50 million.
“We are looking at new customers, not only in China, Australia, Singapore and Asian countries, but also in the Middle East, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Saudi Arabia,” the French entrepreneur said.
“Fifty per cent of the sales will be only for the region.
“In Ras Al Khaimah, we will build a totally new line that we will announce later.”
Floating holidays for the stars
Tennis star Rafael Nadal, Formula One champions Fernando Alonso and Nico Rosberg, and Spanish singer Julio Iglesias are among some of Sunreef’s most famous clients.
What comes in each yacht's luxurious interior depends on the buyer’s choice. Many include jacuzzis, a gym and a treadmill on the upper deck, while the bedrooms can come with floor-to-ceiling ocean-view windows.
The luxury yachts — often described as floating villas — have lounge areas that double as outdoor cinemas and walkaround paths that skirt the boat.
Extravagance was the draw when the yacht business boomed during the Covid-19 pandemic, as the wealthy looked for holiday options away from crowded tourist spots.
“The first two months of the pandemic, we sold nothing. It was difficult,” Mr Lapp said
“Then [for] two years of the pandemic, we had 50-60 per cent more sales than in the normal times.
“People understood the pandemic would not be for two-three months, it will be for a longer time so they bought boats to be safe for their holiday.
“People wanted a different holiday — not in hotels but on boats.
“Now after the pandemic, we will continue [to have good sales] — maybe not at the same concentration.”
Mr Lapp has been living in Dubai for the past two years.
He moved his base from Poland to Palm Jumeirah and travels daily to Ras Al Khaimah to check on the progress.
“I live in Dubai now because I want to be close to the factory,” Mr Lapp said.
“I am 64 years old. A lot of my friends have stopped work, but for me, it’s a challenge to do something new.”
Training begins
Master builders from the main factory in Poland are training 60 workers from countries including Sri Lanka and India in a rented space near the RAK Maritime City Free Zone.
Inside the high-ceiling space, the builders work on preparing sections of fibreglass frames that will be used in various sections of the yachts — from the fly bridge to the mast.
This is the first overseas facility for the Polish company, which Mr Lapp founded 21 years ago.
The two sites in Poland on the Baltic Sea build about 45 boats a year.
The new facility in Ras Al Khaimah is spread over 65,000 square metres. It will employ about 400 people after the first three months and increase to 1,000 by the end of next year.
On site, workers in cranes are readying the main building. Construction will soon begin on a woodwork unit and on a building to house the machine to make moulds for the boats.
“This is the beginning,” Mr Lapp said. “Two thousand [staff]? That is my dream for the next three-four years.
“I want to have the same size of factory, to build the same big boats as in Poland.”
Quiet cruising
He aims to tap into the growing demand for solar boats that give owners quiet, green cruising instead of noisy diesel engines.
The boats utilise energy from the sun across a “solar skin”, with photovoltaic panels built into the hull and across the mast to not only power the yacht, but also run air-conditioning, heating and cooking units.
“Half of our sale is in solar,” he said.
“I see people interested in solar in this region. [Business] people want clients to see they are thinking of the ecosystem.
“We are in a country where you have petrol but people’s demand is changing.
“They don’t want big tanks with fuel and the [fuel] smell on the boat.”
New RAK terminal
Ras Al Khaimah Port Authority said the facility was part of major expansion plans that include a new terminal.
“We are undertaking a massive port development and expansion programme to create a new terminal facility,” said Ankush Vohra, business development manager of RAK Ports.
“Our free-zone customers have direct access to quayside facilities, enabling them to secure large-scale, global projects that can be built in our free zone and then exported directly from Ras Al Khaimah.
“This was one of the major attractions for Sunreef.”
Poland has a long tradition of shipbuilding and Mr Lapp was a pioneer in the country's luxury yacht business.
His ambition is to do similar for the UAE in the high-end catamaran sector.
The Middle East has a special significance for Mr Lapp, who worked in a company that built hospitals in Saudi Arabia in the 1980s.
“I am proud of what we are doing here. I like this [region] from when I was young. My heart is in these Arabic countries,” he said.
“Now I’m happy to come back and to build something new.”
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Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere
Director: Scott Cooper
Starring: Jeremy Allen White, Odessa Young, Jeremy Strong
Rating: 4/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
How Islam's view of posthumous transplant surgery changed
Transplants from the deceased have been carried out in hospitals across the globe for decades, but in some countries in the Middle East, including the UAE, the practise was banned until relatively recently.
Opinion has been divided as to whether organ donations from a deceased person is permissible in Islam.
The body is viewed as sacred, during and after death, thus prohibiting cremation and tattoos.
One school of thought viewed the removal of organs after death as equally impermissible.
That view has largely changed, and among scholars and indeed many in society, to be seen as permissible to save another life.
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
RACE SCHEDULE
All times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Friday, September 29
First practice: 7am - 8.30am
Second practice: 11am - 12.30pm
Saturday, September 30
Qualifying: 1pm - 2pm
Sunday, October 1
Race: 11am - 1pm
ARM%20IPO%20DETAILS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EShare%20price%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Undisclosed%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ETarget%20raise%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%248%20billion%20to%20%2410%20billion%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EProjected%20valuation%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2460%20billion%20to%20%2470%20billion%20(Source%3A%20Bloomberg)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ELead%20underwriters%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Barclays%2C%20Goldman%20Sachs%20Group%2C%20JPMorgan%20Chase%20and%20Mizuho%20Financial%20Group%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Biog
Age: 50
Known as the UAE’s strongest man
Favourite dish: “Everything and sea food”
Hobbies: Drawing, basketball and poetry
Favourite car: Any classic car
Favourite superhero: The Hulk original
Miss Granny
Director: Joyce Bernal
Starring: Sarah Geronimo, James Reid, Xian Lim, Nova Villa
3/5
(Tagalog with Eng/Ar subtitles)
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
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The%20specs
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Singham Again
Director: Rohit Shetty
Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone
Rating: 3/5
The years Ramadan fell in May
French business
France has organised a delegation of leading businesses to travel to Syria. The group was led by French shipping giant CMA CGM, which struck a 30-year contract in May with the Syrian government to develop and run Latakia port. Also present were water and waste management company Suez, defence multinational Thales, and Ellipse Group, which is currently looking into rehabilitating Syrian hospitals.
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Company%C2%A0profile
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
The schedule
December 5 - 23: Shooting competition, Al Dhafra Shooting Club
December 9 - 24: Handicrafts competition, from 4pm until 10pm, Heritage Souq
December 11 - 20: Dates competition, from 4pm
December 12 - 20: Sour milk competition
December 13: Falcon beauty competition
December 14 and 20: Saluki races
December 15: Arabian horse races, from 4pm
December 16 - 19: Falconry competition
December 18: Camel milk competition, from 7.30 - 9.30 am
December 20 and 21: Sheep beauty competition, from 10am
December 22: The best herd of 30 camels
Who has lived at The Bishops Avenue?
- George Sainsbury of the supermarket dynasty, sugar magnate William Park Lyle and actress Dame Gracie Fields were residents in the 1930s when the street was only known as ‘Millionaires’ Row’.
- Then came the international super rich, including the last king of Greece, Constantine II, the Sultan of Brunei and Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal who was at one point ranked the third richest person in the world.
- Turkish tycoon Halis Torprak sold his mansion for £50m in 2008 after spending just two days there. The House of Saud sold 10 properties on the road in 2013 for almost £80m.
- Other residents have included Iraqi businessman Nemir Kirdar, singer Ariana Grande, holiday camp impresario Sir Billy Butlin, businessman Asil Nadir, Paul McCartney’s former wife Heather Mills.
Hunting park to luxury living
- Land was originally the Bishop of London's hunting park, hence the name
- The road was laid out in the mid 19th Century, meandering through woodland and farmland
- Its earliest houses at the turn of the 20th Century were substantial detached properties with extensive grounds
Cultural fiesta
What: The Al Burda Festival
When: November 14 (from 10am)
Where: Warehouse421, Abu Dhabi
The Al Burda Festival is a celebration of Islamic art and culture, featuring talks, performances and exhibitions. Organised by the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development, this one-day event opens with a session on the future of Islamic art. With this in mind, it is followed by a number of workshops and “masterclass” sessions in everything from calligraphy and typography to geometry and the origins of Islamic design. There will also be discussions on subjects including ‘Who is the Audience for Islamic Art?’ and ‘New Markets for Islamic Design.’ A live performance from Kuwaiti guitarist Yousif Yaseen should be one of the highlights of the day.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The%20specs
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Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
The biog
Job: Fitness entrepreneur, body-builder and trainer
Favourite superhero: Batman
Favourite quote: We must become the change we want to see, by Mahatma Gandhi.
Favourite car: Lamborghini
The%20specs
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Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
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Squad
Ali Kasheif, Salim Rashid, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Khalfan Mubarak, Ali Mabkhout, Omar Abdulrahman, Mohammed Al Attas, Abdullah Ramadan, Zayed Al Ameri (Al Jazira), Mohammed Al Shamsi, Hamdan Al Kamali, Mohammed Barghash, Khalil Al Hammadi (Al Wahda), Khalid Essa, Mohammed Shaker, Ahmed Barman, Bandar Al Ahbabi (Al Ain), Al Hassan Saleh, Majid Suroor (Sharjah) Walid Abbas, Ahmed Khalil (Shabab Al Ahli), Tariq Ahmed, Jasim Yaqoub (Al Nasr), Ali Saleh, Ali Salmeen (Al Wasl), Hassan Al Muharami (Baniyas)
What is blockchain?
Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.
The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.
Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.
However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.
Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.
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