Dubai International Boat Show 2020 (DIBS), the premier and most established boat show in the Middle East, is sailing to a new location this year to provide a more stimulating experience to exhibitors and visitors.

The show will drop anchor at its new Dubai Harbour home from March 10 to 14, buoyed by a striking display of superyachts, future-focused maritime equipment and an extensive range of leisure and aquatic activities.

Apart from luxurious superyachts, there will be ritzy sailboats, supercharged aqua bikes, underwater sledges, the latest diving gear and deep-diving submersibles and many other marine technological innovations and equipment.

Running under the theme ‘Loving What’s to Come’, DIBS will feature more than 800 companies and brands from 44 countries and will be the springboard for 28 regional and global launches across a fleet of more than 450 eye-catching boats and watercraft, including leisure craft, sailing and fishing boats and new-to-market aquatic gadgets and toys.

“This edition of the Dubai International Boat Show comes at a hugely exciting time – at the start of a new decade in which the UAE’s maritime sector holds rich promise. I’m delighted that the show has returned to its former home, on what was the Dubai International Marine Club site and is now the world-class Dubai Harbour facility. This show takes on even greater significance as the emirate enters the final preparations for Expo 2020 Dubai. The world’s greatest show will serve to underline Dubai’s standing as a global innovator,” said Saeed Hareb, Secretary General of Dubai Sports Council (DSC) and Senior Advisor to DIBS.

With 12.6 per cent of the world’s superyachts (more than 150 vessels over 40 m) berthed in the Middle East, DIBS is set to host its most impressive iteration of the Superyacht Avenue to date.

The Superyacht Avenue will unite the industry’s most respected names and house a range of existing and new-to-market luxury craft. It will feature SYBAss members such as Benetti, CRN Yachts, Feadship, Fincantieri, Heesen, Lurssen, Oceanco and Sanlorenzo, as well as leading boat manufacturers and retailers, including Al Rubban Marine, AMIT, Azimut, Cranchi Yachts, Gulf Craft, Ferretti, IMG Boats, Ocean 360, Princess Yachts, Sunreef Yachts and Vikal Boats.

Some of the fascinating events at the show include:

VriThink’s Night Out: The second VriThink Night Out will take place on March 11 and will be hosted by the trend platform VriThink. The event offers designers, naval architects and boat builders the chance to show their fresh and creative work, ideas or concepts.

Dubai Fishing Championship 2020: This contest allows one to compete with some of the region’s finest anglers. With serious prize money up for grabs, competition is very serious.

ESS 2020: The Equipment Supplies & Services (ESS) 2020 groups together exhibitors specialising in a wide range of marine products essential to the supply and servicing of the leisure marine industry.

Dive Mina 2020: Visitors can source everything from diving gear, equipment, deep-sea diving electronics and the latest technologies at the event.

STEAMathalon: This sustainable initiative aims at creating a “Yacht of the Future” powered by AI for smart city living. This programme encourages young and talented minds from various schools to integrate science, technology, engineering, innovation and AI to come up with sustainable solutions and prepare for the future.

NB: Since this article was published, DIBS has announced that due to the situation arising from the new Coronavirus outbreak globally, DIBS has been rescheduled to November 24 - 28 at the same venue.