Muscat – Mohammed Taleb al Raisi, 30, has created a 2m long remote control scale model of a traditional Omani ship weighing 6kg to raise awareness on Oman’s maritime heritage.

Painstakingly built over a four-month period, Raisi hopes to revive interest in Oman’s shipbuilding tradition through his effort.

An amateur creator of remote control aircraft – a hobby he has pursued since he was 12 – Raisi designs and fabricates using simple household items, including wood and cork.

His latest creation is a scale model of an Al Ghanja ship, a unique ship the wilayat of Sur was famed for constructing. An Al Ghanja ship typically took a year to make.

In order to memorialise this type of ships, the people of Sur – the hub of the traditional shipbuilding industry in Oman – have installed a model of an Al Ghanja ship called the Fatah al Khair in Sur Maritime Museum.

“I used simple materials to make the model – cork, paper, wood and other recyclable materials,” Raisi told Muscat Daily.

“I took time to make the model because I wanted it to have all the details seen in the original ships to preserve the traditional designs.”

Powered by batteries, the model is fitted with two motors and a signal receiver.

According to Raisi, his scale model of the Al Ghanja can be developed for use for scientific purposes, marine navigation and photography, besides highlighting Omani maritime heritage.

Raisi recently also crafted a remote control Boeing 737 painted with the colours and logo of Oman Air in a nod to the national carrier’s efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Raisi has won several awards in competitions for making scale models of aircraft, including one in Kuwait, and a talent competition at Sultan Qaboos University.

Besides raising awareness on Omani maritime history with his latest scale model, he hopes it will encourage Omani youth to pursue creative hobbies.