World’s most luxurious boat builders to showcase latest designs in Dubai

Dubai will reaffirm its position as the region’s leading showcase for luxury yachts and high-end craft, when the Dubai International Boat Show 2008 takes place at the Dubai International Marine Club – Mina Seyahi from 11-15 March.

DIBS will welcome over 800 participating companies and nearly 400 boats to this year’s event, the highest number since the show was launched in 1992. A total of 10 superyachts will be talking pride of place at this year’s event. Companies from every part of the industry, from boat-builders through to marine equipment, suppliers and service providers, are set to exhibit. The prestige and international positioning of this premier marine event, combined with the strong local demand for luxury boats, has propelled DIBS into a position where many of the world’s leading boat-builders are competing for space. DIBS has become one of the world’s primary show-grounds for superyachts, the outstanding 23 metres plus (82 feet) luxury craft that have come to represent the highest-end of the marine leisure market. Four of the worlds largest yachts – including the magnificent 160m Platinum – are now owned by individuals and organizations based in the Middle East. DIBS is sponsored Dubai Maritime City.

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Russia and India agree about aircraft carrier price

Russia and India have agreed to increase refit costs for the Admiral Gorshkov aircraft carrier, currently undergoing reconstruction at a shipyard in Severodvinsk, Arkangelsk oblast.

The costs of modernizing the aircraft carrier will be announced in late March the Indian defense secretary Vijay Singh said. Vijay Singh, who has just returned from inspecting the Admiral Gorshkov, berthed at the Sevmash shipyard in north Russia for the last 12 years, said there would be “a substantial increase” in the “reworked estimate” for the modernization work on the carrier. “It should be completed by mid-2010. After that, it will undergo 18 months of extensive sea trials by the Russian navy to ensure all systems are working properly,” he said. The defense secretary did not mention any figures but New Delhi is willing to pay another $600-800 million for the 44,570-tonne aircraft carrier. India contracted the $1.5 billion Admiral Gorshkov for its navy in 2004. Moscow has since demanded an additional $1.2 billion, which New Delhi replied was “exorbitant.”

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Two Big Shipyards to be constructed in Pakistan

Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Muhammad Afzal Tahir says there is a plan to construct two big shipyards in Pakistan.

One each at Gwadar on Balochistan coast and other at Korangi Creek in Karachi. Speaking at keel laying of first small-cum-utility ship at Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works KSEW, he said these shipyards would be “fairly big ones. A great deal of work is going on in this regard.” Admiral Tahir said it would be his desire to try and reactivate KSEW. Naval Chief, who is also Chairman, KSEW Board of Directors said he is doing whatever he could in this connection. “We also have the support of government and its functionaries for such a program,” he stated.

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