In the United Arab Emirates a new superyacht registration code, as formulated by DNV (the UAE National Transport Authority and Abu Dhabi MAR), is on the eve of being introduced for privately owned yachts over 24 metres in length.
Due in the UAE on July 1 the new superyacht registration code will apply only to privately owned yachts — not superyachts active in the charter market – and is expected to be the most specific code as yet for superyachts which so far have not had enjoyed their own independent classification. In contrast under the new UAE yacht code superyacht will have their own specific category.
A report by ‘Superyacht Business’ suggests that one of the first superyachts to be registered under the new UAE yachting code will be the superyacht Swift141 which is a massive rebuild project at Abu Dhabi MAR. Swift141 is scheduled to be completed and delivered to a local yacht owner sometime later in 2010.
The regional manager of DNV, Antony D’Souza, stated: “The UAE has a very ambitious maritime strategy. Every vessel has to be registered and currently there is no registry focusing on that market segment. The UAE has seen the gap and jumped at the opportunity.”
“This is an important development for the super yacht industry” says Omar Abu Omar DNV's District Manager
More about the new private yacht regulations for the UAE:
The new private yacht regulations for the UAE were formally announced at the Abu Dhabi yacht conference in March 2010 by Captain Saleem Alavi of the NTA.
Jointly developed by the Abu Dhabi MAR and NTA, the regulations will come into effect 1 July and are considered to be the first step in the UAE’s plans to become a major yachting hub and destination.
“We would like to give credit to Captain Saleem Alavi at the NTA for taking the initiative to develop the new regulations,” said DNV’s senior vice president Karl Morten Wiklund. “This is an important development not only for the UAE but also for the yachting industry throughout the world.”
The new yacht regulations are applicable to private yachts above 24m in length and not for yachts engaged in commercial activities. There is no restriction on the number of guests onboard. Abu Dhabi MAR is currently building the SWIFT 141 (see link) which will comply with the new regulations and sail with UAE flag.
The yacht regulations UAE formally announced at the Abu Dhabi yacht conference
“The UAE yacht regulations accommodate the novelty and innovation of this market segment and have been developed based on the principles of defining overall purpose and functional requirements for the safety segments covered by these regulations,” explains Omar Abu Omar DNV’s district manager. “The purpose and functional requirements are verified either by compliance with prescriptive requirements, analysis, demonstration or risk assessment.”
The UAE National Transport Authority is the designated Maritime Authority delegated by the government of the United Arab Emirates. According to Mr Wiklund the UAE yacht regulations have been submitted to IMO and its members.
“The UAE National Transport Authority trusts that these regulations will be recognised by any Flag and Port State as adequate safety and environmental standard for yachts above 24 meters as these regulations provide equivalent safety to existing IMO instruments, including all mandatory international regulations applicable to yachts and are developed based on functional requirements to accommodate the innovative and future oriented yacht industry,” said Mr Wiklund at the conference.
