Marking an important day in the relations between the Sultanate of Oman and Singapore, Abdul Aziz bin Mohammed Al Rowas, advisor to His Majesty the Sultan, unveiling a plaque to name the

ship ‘Jewel of Muscat’ at The Wave, Muscat, yesterday.

Goh Choc Tong, senior minister of Singapore, graced the occasion. Guests at the ceremony included Dr Rajiha bint Abdul Amir bin Ali, minister of tourism and Sayyid Badr bin Hamid bin Hamoud Al Busaidi, secretary-general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

While the Jewel of Muscat is a gift to Singapore, the plaque will remain as a permanent reminder of this momentous occasion.

Al Rowas, in his speech, underlined the importance that Oman’s heritage plays in modern Oman saying that the inauguration marked the beginning

of the 40th anniversary celebrations in the history of Oman, and its relations with the outside world.

“We congratulate ourselves and the people of Singapore for making this happen as Jewel of Muscat is an ambassador of Oman,” he added.

While addressing the guests, Saleh Al Jabri, the captain of the Jewel of Muscat, said, “I keep thinking of how our forefathers used to sail the ancient ships and that with such a difficult journey ahead, I feel it remarkable to be part of an extraordinary journey. I feel great pride in being present at the ceremony and am looking forward to the voyage,

scheduled for February 15, as the countdown to departure has now started.”

What became known as the Belitung wreck, found in 1998, dating back to the ninth century AD off the Indonesian coast spurred the idea of creating

a similar vessel that became known as the Jewel of Muscat project.

At 18-metre-long (60-foot), the Jewel of Muscat is a handbuilt hull with 40,000 stitches and without a single nail. It was successfully launched into the Oman sea in November last year and will depart from Muscat

on her epic voyage to Singapore via India, Sri Lanka and Malaysia.

The project was designed to strengthen cordial relations between the Sultanate and Singapore, as well as fitting in with Oman’s strategy of giving its youth the opportunity to train in navigation and sailing technique, which have been an integral part of their national heritage.