Abu Dhabi has launched the Middle East's most advanced marine research vessel to help in efforts to safeguard marine life in the emirate.
The vessel Jaywun ― a term that symbolises one of the finest and most valuable types of pearl ― will enable the Environment Agency — Abu Dhabi to monitor and assess the marine environment and biodiversity.
The 50m vessel will operate in the territorial waters of the UAE in the Arabian Gulf and the Sea of Oman and allow the agency to complete its studies of the marine environment and fisheries in waters more than 10m deep.
The vessel, which can accommodate about 30 people, is equipped with the latest research equipment, including six laboratories for studying samples and a remotely-operated submarine vehicle.
The agency will also use the Jaywun to monitor and preserve fish stocks and marine biodiversity and help to ignite a passion for oceanography and fisheries studies in the Arabian Gulf among young Emirati researchers.
The vessel will support several environmental initiatives, such as the Blue Carbon Assessment Project for Oceanic Fisheries ― the first oceanic, blue carbon fisheries assessment survey in the region. The survey project was created to support the UAE’s initiative to achieve climate neutrality by 2050 and will be conducted in the country's waters.
Freire Shipbuilding Company in Vigo, Spain, developed the vessel under the supervision of Abu Dhabi Ship Building Company, with the support of a team from the agency.
The ship was designed and built to suit the sea conditions of the Gulf region, characterised by shallowness and high water salinity.
Before the vessel embarked on its voyage to Abu Dhabi, sea trials were conducted off the Spanish coast.
The ship began its month-long maiden voyage at the end of November, and passed three continents ― Europe, Africa and Asia ― including the waters of 25 countries and eight regional seas, covering a distance of more than 10,000km.
“The vessel has the capacity to conduct comprehensive marine and fisheries surveys, including basic deep water marine environmental surveys, fisheries resource assessment surveys, coral reef and seagrass habitat surveys, studies of marine water quality and sediment, and biological surveys,” said Dr Shaikha Al Dhaheri, Secretary General of Environment Agency — Abu Dhabi.
“In addition, the vessel will play an important role in developing strategies and management plans to ensure the recovery and sustainability of fish stocks.”
The Uefa Awards winners
Uefa Men's Player of the Year: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
Uefa Women's Player of the Year: Lucy Bronze (Lyon)
Best players of the 2018/19 Uefa Champions League
Goalkeeper: Alisson (Liverpool)
Defender: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
Midfielder: Frenkie de Jong (Ajax)
Forward: Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
Uefa President's Award: Eric Cantona
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
