In April, Wadi Wurayah Fujairah was officially declared the UAE’s first protected mountain area by His Highness Shaikh Hamad Bin Mohammad Al Sharqi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Fujairah. The decree N°2 of 2009 came after the completion of a successful three year project launched in 2006 by Emirates Wildlife Society in association with - WWF (EWS-WWF) and Fujairah Municipality with the support of HSBC Bank Middle East ltd, to assess the importance of Wadi Wurayah for nature conservation and to establish it as a protected area
The wadi is a 129 kilometre-square catchment that occupies the northern reaches of Fujairah between the towns of Masafi, Khor Fakkan and Bidiyah. Due to its permanent water resource the area has been used by local communities for thousands of years and is home to rare and endangered species such as the Arabian Tahr and Arabian Leopard which are vital to the UAE’s national heritage. The wadi is located within the Ecoregion 127 “Arabian Highlands and Shrublands” one of the WWF Global 200 Ecoregions regrouping the richest, rarest and most distinctive of the earth's natural habitats. Commenting on the landmark achievement, Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, Managing Director EWS-WWF stated, “Wadi Wurayah is of considerable ecological significance allowing among the rarest species found in the UAE, Arabian Peninsular and the world to survive this harsh climate. Over the past three years we have revealed the presence of 12 species of mammals, 73 species of birds, 17 species of reptiles and amphibians. 1 species of fish and 74 invertebrate families, of which 11 new species for science. More than 300 species of plants have been recorded in the area, including species that are found only in wetlands such as Typha dominginsis and the unique orchid species of UAE: Epipactis veratrifolia. We are extremely excited about the decree and thank HH Shaikh Hamad Bin Mohammad Al Sharqi for signing the official document, securing that this gem of nature and culture is here for future generations to enjoy."

Added Dr. Christophe Tourenq, Science and Research Manager at EWS-WWF and manager of the Wadi Wurayah project, “Wadi Wurayah is an extremely important part of the UAE’s national heritage and our on-going discoveries of the species residing in the area, and support of the locals is a testament to that fact. At the start of the project we discovered that the endangered mountain wildlife was increasingly threatened, either by direct transformation or through unregulated recreational use. This decree will go a long way in ensuring the wildlife and area is closely monitored and protected for future generations."

The declaration of Wadi Wurayah as the first mountain protected area of the country shows the commitment of the Fujairah government to the conservation of their natural and cultural heritage.Under the proposed protection plan reviewed by the royal court, EWS-WWF calls for management and park rangers to patrol the area and help educate visitors. Visitors will also be fined for leaving litter behind, polluting the water and painting graffiti – three main factors that currently afflict the wadi on a regular basis.

During a grand award ceremony in Singapore, Mr. Fazel A. Fazelbhoy, CEO of Topaz Energy and Marine Ltd. received the award for the Maritime Personality of the Year.

The award was presented by Marine Biz TV and was won in competition with prominent figures of the maritime community in the Middle East and South East Asia. Mr. Fazelbhoy was given the maritime excellence award in recognition of his pioneering spirit, demonstrated inventiveness and outstanding contribution to the Maritime Industry. In his acceptance speech, Mr. Fazelbhoy stated that as in the words of John Donne, “No man is an island” and expressed his appreciation while accepting the award on behalf of his colleagues and the Topaz Board of Directors who has continued to invest in Topaz’s success. He also expressed a great debt of gratitude to all employees of Topaz who continually strive to demonstrate innovation and excellence to the entire enterprise. The awards ceremony took place at the Raffles Ballroom, Swissôtel, Singapore and was attended by over 600 senior executives of the maritime community. The awards dinner was held in connection with the Shiptek 2009 Conference and Exhibition, a marine and offshore industry technology event. The awards ceremony was broadcasted live on www.live.marinebiztv.com

Kanoo Shipping announced the launch of the first of its new series of fast crew supply boats, ‘Kanoo 40’, at Fujairah. With the addition of the new boats, the company has now expanded its fleet to ten. The new Kanoo 40 series will offer customers a larger capacity to carry passengers and cargo quickly, comfortably and above all safely, while also offering them optimised costs and efficiency.

Commenting on the launch of the new series, Mr. Fawzi Kanoo, the Chairman of Kanoo Shipping said, “We are happy to launch our new series of ‘Kanoo 40’ boats in the region. We are confident that these new craft will bring new capabilities into the market and that the speed and comfort of these boats will be recognized and welcomed by all our Principals and Charterers.”