9th Century sailing ship reaches India from Oman

by Sail-World Cruising on 16 Mar 2010 The replica ninth century ‘Jewel of Muscat’ square rigged sailing ship has completed the first leg on its way from Oman to Singapore, triumphantly arriving into the Indian port of Kochi to a great welcome.

The wooden 'sewn plank' sailing ship has been modelled on the famous Tang Treasure ship that sank in the Indian Ocean while laden with gold and other precious items belonging to the old Chinese Tang dynasty.

The plan is for it to keep to ancient trade routes. Hence the first stop in India. Then it will head for Galle in Sri Lanka, George Town in Penang, and Malacca before arriving in Singapore after a voyage lasting five months, where it will be given as a gift from Oman to the people of Singapore.

The Kochi Coast Guard entrusted its vessel ICGS Lakshmibai with the task of escorting the vessel, besides assigning its Dorniers fly over as it approached the shore, to monitor its position and safety of the vessel and crew. The Omani vessel was welcomed about 200 nautical miles off the coast by the Coast Guard Dornier.

The Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Mumbai received a request from the vessel seeking assistance for escort on Friday. The vessel was becalmed when it was 150 nautical miles west of Kochi, and called for assistance.

'Based on the request, ICGS Lakshmibai was immediately placed under short notice for motoring. A Dornier was also deployed. The vessel was located 145 NM west of Kochi. The Dornier established communication with the sailing vessel and ensured that all crew were safe and had sufficient ration and water,' said the officials.

More vessels - a Coast Guard Interceptor Boat and a helicopter were then deployed off Kochi to welcome the vessel on Monday. The Navy and the Coast Guard gave a ceremonial ‘water reception’ to the vessel from the outer harbour with sea-going vessels escorting the Jewel to the berth. A state reception will be held while the vessel is in Kochi.

'Singapore is one of Oman's oldest trading partners. Jewel of Muscat will be displayed in Singapore to highlight the awareness of the old trade routes between the two countries,' Badr bin Hamoud Al Busaeedi, Director-General of the Omani Foreign Ministry, said at a launch ceremony this week.

He said Jewel of Muscat was modelled on the wreckage of the ninth-century Tang Treasure ship that was carrying more than 60,000 pieces of Chinese ceramics, silver and gold artefacts, spices and other commodities. 'The idea of this was inspired from the Tang Treasure that was discovered in 1998 in Indonesian waters… it took us about 12 months to construct this vessel, which represents an important Omani cultural and heritage initiative,' he said. To reconstruct the vessel, a 1,200-year-old method of sewing the hull planks together with handmade coconut-fibre rope was used to make the vessel extremely resilient. No nail or screw was used during the process of shaping the first plank for hoisting the palm-leaf sails that were woven in Qantab.

The sailing ship was constructed on a beach in the Omani town of Qantab, is made from Afzelia african timber from Ghana. The planks are are sewn together with coconut fibre and must fit perfectly to ensure that the ship is watertight. The wood is protected by a layer of goat fat mixed with lime.

During the journey the crew are using only ninth century navigation techniques, and plan to reach Singapore by June. The project is jointly funded by Singapore and Oman.