UAE-based Al Marakeb Boat Manufacturing Company, a leading maritime company building high-performance glass reinforced plastic (GRP) and marine autonomous vessels, will showcase its latest unmanned surface vessel (USV) technologies at the ongoing Unmanned Systems Exhibition and Conference (UMEX) 2018, in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
The three-day event will run until February 27, at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Centre.
The UAE is embarking on ambitious plans to achieve global lead in innovative technologies, with a focus on artificial intelligence, Internet of Things (IoT) and autonomous systems.
Basel Shuhaiber, CEO, Al Marakeb, said: “Remotely controlled vessels and autonomous ships are no longer a vision of the future; rather they are a reality of today.”
Al Marakeb introduced its first USV, the B7, to the market at Idex 2015. The 7m model, entirely designed and built in its local manufacturing facilities in the UAE, equipped for security and surveillance. They have since showcased their growing fleet of USV models, broader applications for both commercial and defence practices, as well as advanced autonomous conversion devices and command and control stations.
Last year, the company stepped up its operations by launching the B7x- dual use vessel for both manned and unmanned operations.
Al Marakeb seeks to utilise major events, including Idex and UMEX, to highlight success achieved in and the implementation of Unmanned Technologies, and to bolster reach on a local, regional as well as global scale.
To endorse this direction, this year brings a collaboration between USV manufacturer Al Marakeb and Tawazun, the country’s strategic investment firm focused on the long-term development of industrial manufacturing and technological capabilities particularly for the defence sector.
In December 2017, Tawazun, through one of its new initiatives, signed an agreement with Al Marakeb, establishing collaboration on the development and upgrade of USVs for multiple uses, including defence, homeland security, and maritime security, as well as civil applications.
Abdulla Al Huwar, associate director, Tawazun, said: “This collaboration fulfils the national interest and provides an opportunity for Al Marakeb to benefit from our soon-to-be launched initiative in defence and security sectors.”
The company’s stand at UMEX will carry several of their latest products and USV models, as well as the ground control station at which live autonomous demonstrations will be conducted every day of the show, it stated