UAE takes fancy to $1m mini-submarine

Parag Deulgaonkar -

U-Boat Worx gets several enquiries from UAE for recreational, tourist and research purposes, says official.

Although not that anyone has yet bought it in the UAE, U-Boat Worx, a Netherland-based company, claims it is receiving a number of enquiries for its Dh3.67 million ($1 million) mini-submersible.

“We actually receive several enquiries every month from the UAE for recreational, tourist and research purposes,” Erik Hasselman, Sales and Marketing Manager, U-Boat Worx, told 'Emirates24|7'.

Although he refused to disclose any information of its customers, he did add that "the UAE/GCC is a great region for our submersibles".

Launched in 2006, U-Boat Worx, the aqua-products maker, is one of only three companies in the world that manufactures submarines or mini submarines.

U Boat has already sold its products to West Asia, Greece, Russia and Japan and is hoping to attract buyers in South Asia as well.

Media reports say the company has sold eight subs so far.

All submersibles built by the company are designed, manufactured and tested as per the strict rules for classification of passenger submersibles by Germanischer Lloyd, a technical supervisory organisation, the company said.

U-Boat Worx offers two models of submersibles: C-Questers and C-Explorers.

While C-Questers are available in two and three-person configurations" for a maximum diving depth of 100 metres, C-Explorers typically carry one to five people for depths ranging from 50 metre to 1,000 metres.

The company also makes custom-made models that can go below 1,000 metres.

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