United Arab Emirates

About the Flag

Located on the southern coast of the Arabian Gulf between Oman and Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (“UAE”) is a federation of seven emirates (Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Qaiwan, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah). The Union is governed by a constitution which provides that the Union shall exercise sovereignty in all matters assigned to it under the Constitution whilst member Emirates shall exercise sovereignty over their own territories and territorial waters in all matters which are not within the jurisdiction of the Union. The President is the Head of State, and the Prime Minister is the Head of the Cabinet. The Cabinet enjoys executive authority. There is a unicameral Federal National Council exercising legislative authority subject to the powers of the Supreme Council of Rulers and the Constitution. The capital city is Abu Dhabi. The official language is Arabic, but English is widely used in business and commerce. The Constitution provides that Islamic Shariah shall be a main source of legislation. The UAE is a member of the Arab League, the United Nations, and the IMO.

The UAE has an open economy with one of the world's highest incomes per capita and with a sizable annual trade surplus. Its wealth is based on oil and gas output. Its chief export is crude oil and its major trading partner is Japan. The UAE's unit of currency is the dirham.

The registration of ships is mainly governed by Federal Law No. 26 of 1981 (UAE Commercial Maritime Law = UAE-CML). The competent authority for the registration of ships is the Marine Affairs Department at the Ministry of Communication in three main Ship Registration Offices in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah.