Shabab Oman II Wins ‘Best Ship’ At Tall Ships Races 2025 In Scotland

Shabab Oman II, a sail training ship of the Royal Navy of Oman, has been awarded the ‘Best Ship’ title at the Tall Ships Races 2025 held in Aberdeen, Scotland.

This is the ship’s second international honour this year, coming just three weeks after winning the Best Crew award at the Le Havre Sailing Festival in France.

The ship, registered under IMO 9667215 and carrying the call sign A4LB, is currently on a European training cruise. Cadets from the Royal Navy of Oman are on board to get hands-on sea experience. The vessel is 87 metres long, fully rigged with three masts, and equipped with 29,000 square feet of sail.

Every year, Shabab Oman II embarks on a long-distance training voyage lasting around five months. Departing from Oman, it sails through the Red Sea, continues into the Mediterranean, and then into the Atlantic Ocean.

In international tall ship gatherings, it is often the vessel that has travelled the furthest to participate. For the 30 cadets onboard, the journey is more than just a trip.

Historically, Oman was a powerful seafaring nation with outposts as far as Gwadar (now in Pakistan), trade centres like Bandar Abbas in Iran, and territories along the East African coast. But it all came to a halt in 1964 after a coup in Zanzibar, leading many Omanis to return home.

Currently, Oman is working to reconnect with its maritime heritage. Besides maintaining a strong naval force, crucial for keeping shipping lanes open in the Strait of Hormuz, where a major international traffic separation scheme runs through Omani waters, the government launched Oman Sail in 2008. This initiative teaches sailing to hundreds of Omani schoolchildren each year and also brings international sailing events and championships to the country.

At the same time, Oman’s merchant navy is undergoing rapid growth. Asyad Shipping, a government-owned company, is expanding its fleet by adding 33 vessels to its existing fleet of over 90 ships. The aim is to handle more of the country’s oil and gas exports using its resources.

As a member of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), the country is often approached for help in resolving maritime disputes. One of the most notable examples was Oman’s role in securing the release of the 25 crew members of the car carrier Galaxy Leader.

The vessel had been held in Hodeidah by Houthi forces since November 2023. After 14 months in detention, the crew, who came from Bulgaria, the Philippines, Mexico, Romania, and Ukraine, were freed and safely repatriated with Oman’s assistance.

Reference: worldports

Source: Maritime Shipping News