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Oman: Jewel of Muscat vessel reaches the last destination in Singapore

Saturday, 03 July 2010 20:41

Oman_Jawharat_Muscat_vessel_reaches_Singapore_the_last_destination-

Oman - The vessel ‘Jawharat Muscat' (Jewel of Muscat) today reached its final destination in Kippel Bat in Singapore.

The Republic of Singapore organized an official reception ceremony for the vessel and its crew members who were received by Sellapan Rama NATHAN, President of Singapore and Sayyid Harib bin Thuwaini al Said and his accompanying delegation.

The vessel ‘Jawharat Muscat‘ entered the port's berth adorned with flags of the Sultanate and Singapore on the top of its posts with flags of the participating countries on both sides namely India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia , Briton , Italy and Australia. The vessel is a gift from the Sultanate to the government and people of Singapore as an expression of the centuries-long friendship ties and historic relations.

President Rama Nathan, of the Republic of Singapore delivered a speech during the ceremony where he said ‘On behalf of the people of Singapore, I would like to express my deep appreciation to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Said and the Sultanate of Oman for the generous and deeply symbolic gift of the Jewel of Muscat'.

‘The Jewel of Muscat project will be remembered as a historic testament to the excellent ties between Singapore and the Sultanate of Oman. It is also symbolic of the renewal and strengthening of the historical ties between Asia and the Middle East. I look forward to even more mutually beneficial cooperation in the future as we build upon the close relations between both countries, he added.

The President congratulated the crew on the success of their epic voyage from Oman to Singapore. "They have demonstrated courage, fortitude and resourcefulness in replicating the voyage taken by the traders and seafarers of old many centuries ago, he furthered.

‘It is a reminder of how much we have benefited by those old ties and how much we have been shaped by those who boldly took on the challenges of the sea in those days, he continued.

He also pointed out "The monsoons are an essential part of the history and character of Singapore and Southeast Asia. For thousands of years they have brought to our region traders and merchants from China, India and the Middle East. With trade came people and ideas. Singapore's multi-ethnic and multi-religious population is not a product of chance or coincidence. It is part of our historical identity, and an extension of the ties among the lands between the monsoons.

‘Lying across the other side of the Indian Ocean, trade and friendship have long been pillars of the Sultanate of Oman. For centuries, the maritime route between Arabia and China was the longest trading route in the world. Oman lay at one end of this route. It was Oman that produced the sailors and navigators that plied this route. The extraordinary achievements of these Omani seamen have been preserved and remembered in stories, such as, those of Sinbad, he added.

‘The voyage of the Jewel of Muscat, which has been captured in a documentary by National Geographic, adds to this rich tradition, and should be remembered as a symbol of goodwill between old friends linked by history ,he continued.

The Singaporean President went on saying ‘With its arrival in Singapore, the Jewel of Muscat will in a way be reunited with the Tang Treasure, which Singapore acquired in 2005 with the generous support of the Estate of Tan Sri Khoo Teck Puat. This treasure which was intended for Arab destinations was in the sea until they were salvaged a few years ago, and which Singapore then acquired. Singapore is organising an international exhibition that will feature not only the Tang Treasure, but also the story of the maritime Silk Route and the voyage that was replicated by the Jewel of Muscat.

‘Being at the crossroads between East and West, Singapore is a fitting place for the Jewel to be based. Historically, ships from Arab destinations stopped in Singapore or in ports nearby to await the change of the monsoons, before continuing their journey eastwards to China or the other way.

At the end of his speech, the Singaporean President said ‘On behalf of the people of Singapore, I would like to express my deep appreciation to all those in Oman, India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore and elsewhere who have been a part of this project.

Sayyid Harib bin Thuwaini al Said, Representative of His Majesty the Sultan then delivered a speech where he said ‘His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, has honoured me to represent him here today at this ceremony and to fulfil the precious duty of presenting this ship, "the Jewel of Muscat" to the people of Singapore.

‘We wish here to record a special greetings to the Captain and all the Crew of the Jewel of Muscat, for their great endeavour in sailing the Jewel of Muscat all the way to Singapore. We also wish to express our appreciation to the Working Group and all those who have worked so hard in carrying out this historic project and made it such a success, he added.

Saleh al Jabri, Captain of the Jewel of Muscat Ship delivered a speech where he said ‘It has been a great honour for me and my Crew members to have carried out this noble mission and bestowed with this great trust in bringing the Jewel of Muscat to Singapore. In doing so, we have successfully sailed through Oman Sea, Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bangal and the Malaca Strait.

He added ‘Jewel of Muscat crossed the Indian Ocean sometimes amidst light winds, and other times in strong squalls. She sailed fast when she wished and slow if she so liked. But she was keen to reach Singapore, carrying noble meanings and values, beautiful memories of her hometown in Oman, of the ports where she has called, and of all those who met her, interacted with her and expressed astonishment at her beauty.

We have encountered some challenging experiences during our journey and struggled through strong storms'

He concluded his speech by saying ‘I hope the Jewel of Muscat will remain a living example of the values of, engagement, friendship and cooperation between nations and peoples'.

The celebration included a number of music performances by the Omani and Singaporean traditional troupes inspired from the rich marine heritage of the two peoples.

After that Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Bin Hamoud al Busaidi, Secretary General of the Foreign Ministry said ‘the crew of Jewel of Muscat managed to reach in time efficiently. We are very proud of them as this punctuality reflect the ability of the Omani contemporary sailor to pass such experiences and deal with all the circumstances with courage and skill.

He pointed out that this work, which has been made in response to the Royal Directives of His Majesty and with the effort of a term of youths, will have its impact and will be an incentive for more work in this field. History will record this national, regional and international project in its memory as it reflects many contents, such as, friendship, work, cooperation, peace and love.

He added that ‘the Jewel of Muscat is not a message to the Singaporean and East Asia peoples only but also a message of love and peace from the Sultanate to the whole world'.

On his part Khalil bin Abdullah al Khunji, Chairman of Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry said that Jewel of Muscat is a symbol of strengthening historic, political and economic ties.

‘When His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said donated this Jewel to the Singaporean people, His Majesty stressed the deep rooted historic, trade, economic and political ties that bind the tow countries. (ONA)

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