Emirati brothers build largest Arab cargo dhow

Gulf News

A mighty big dhow. Two Emirati brothers, Huraiz and Salah Bin Touq Al Merri, are constructing the largest Arab cargo dhow at the Jadaf dry docks in Dubai. See more at: http://gulfnews.com/gntv

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00:00At the Jadaf Dry Docks in Dubai, two Emirati brothers have spent the last four years constructing

00:10the largest Arab dhow. The boat, named Fazar, is set to be complete later this year.

00:16This now I start 2008 at now. Inshallah after one month I push it in the water. In the water

00:24you need three or four months when it's ready for working.

00:30The dhow stands at a height of over 30 feet, is 200 feet long and weighs in at 900 tons.

00:36It has been constructed from materials sourced both locally and abroad and will have a load

00:41capacity of 2,500 tons.

00:43There may be 600 tons of wood and maybe 400 tons of steel. The outside I bring the wood

00:51from Malaysia and inside the design I bring for Pakistani and India, jungle wood. This

00:59is expensive because the jungle wood you cannot, maybe you take ten piece, you use three or

01:07four piece.

01:08The project has a cost of over 8 million dirhams, with expenses ranging from imported woods

01:13to the hundreds of thousands of nuts, bolts and nails used during construction.

01:18This more, 100,000 piece. One piece maybe 15 or 25 to 25 dirhams.

01:26Horaiz Bintouk Almeri is quick to point out that this has not been a solo project, but

01:30rather a joint effort with several partners.

01:34I not build it alone, my factory. No, I have friends for wood, friends for steel, for nails,

01:41for, please work with me. After when this dhow is working I give you money.

01:47The towering boat has attracted a number of tourists to visit its deck and marvel at

01:52this mountain of wood and steel.

01:54I have family from Dubai, from Omani, from European. I have from USA and English, France,

02:03Italy. One time people is coming from Brazil, is coming from Brazil, yeah.

02:11The dhow, powered by two 125-horsepower engines, will be used to transport cargo from the UAE

02:18to Somalia.

02:19This dhow for cargo, not like super yacht or something you put it. I need the speed

02:2610 to 12 knots. This is very good. Dubai to Somalia, eight, one week, ten days, very nice.

02:35Inshallah it's coming good for ocean because when you build something for ocean, Dubai

02:40to Somalia, you must put it strong.

02:44With construction almost done, it won't be too long before you can catch a glimpse

02:48of the magnificent Fazar, powering her way into the UAE sunset.

02:53Jay Lenton, Gulf News.

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