The timber hull
A huge ship on dry land.
Zairon — CC BY 4.0 · Zairon — CC BY 4.0 · Zairon — CC BY 4.0 · Zairon — CC BY 4.0 · Zairon — CC BY 4.0
Al-Hashemi II is the largest wooden dhow ever built, standing on dry land beside the Radisson Blu Hotel in Kuwait and housing a marine museum and event halls. At 83.75 m long and 18.5 m wide, it is one of the world's largest wooden ships, and feels enormous when you stand at its base. It was commissioned by Husain Marafie, with planning from 1985 and construction from 1997, at a cost of more than USD 30 million. It has never floated, though it was built with traditional caulking and watertight methods. Guinness World Records listed it in 2002 as the largest wooden dhow, giving a slightly different length of 80.4 m, a gap put down to different ways of measuring. From outside, the orange timber hull and the ornate stern, with its rows of windows and carving, hold your attention. Inside are vast decks with worked wooden ceilings, huge chandeliers, columns and banquet tables, and coloured windows on the upper deck. The Guinness certificate hangs inside. Since the ship is used for meetings and events, some halls may be booked when you visit. The museum is 5.4 km from the Scientific Center in a straight line, so the two pair well along the coast, and about 14 km from the city centre, a taxi ride away. Ask at the hotel before you come, as sources give no reliable hours.
A huge ship on dry land.
Windows and traditional carving.
Wooden ceilings and huge chandeliers.
Beside the Radisson Blu Hotel, Salwa, Kuwait
No, it has never floated, despite traditional watertight construction. It serves as a museum and event venue.
Yes. Guinness World Records listed it in 2002 as the largest wooden dhow ever built, with a small difference in the recorded length.