Qatar Boat Show 2026 Presents an Exclusive and Exceptional Experience for VIPs and Distinguished Guests in Its Third Edition
The VIP entrance welcomes its guests with an exclusive experience celebrating Qatar’s maritime identity, featuring the official unveiling of the “Qatar Sea” color through the Oshar Art Exhibition by Qatari artist Yousef Ahmad, alongside special contributions from Qatar Creates, Qatar Museums and Beda’a Watches.
Once a historic commercial harbor, Old Doha Port is a bustling lifestyle destination that
blends Doha’s rich seafaring legacy with innovative marine services, sustainable
practices, and cultural depth. Serving as the world’s maritime gateway to Qatar, the
centrally located port features a world-class 450-berth marina, a 24/7 operating cruise
terminal, the nation’s largest slipway, over 250,000 square meters of greenery, and vibrant
cultural spaces like the Mina District and Containers Yard. With offerings ranging from
watersports and cultural experiences to art installations and major events like the annual
Qatar Boat Show and fishing competitions, Old Doha Port celebrates Qatar’s legacy while
pioneering its maritime future and enhancing its global tourism profile.
Doha, Qatar – November 04, 2026 – Qatar Boat Show opened its third edition on
Wednesday, November 4, at Old Doha Port, under the patronage of His Excellency Sheikh
Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign
Affairs.
VIPs and distinguished guests began their visit at the VIP Exclusive Entrance Experience,
designed this year to reflect Qatar’s deep connection to the sea and to celebrate its
cultural heritage through a series of art and heritage displays and distinctive designs,
bringing together the authenticity of the past and the spirit of contemporary creativity.
The VIP Entrance welcomed a number of distinguished guests on the opening day, among
them His Excellency Ghanem bin Shaheen bin Ghanem Al Ghanim, Minister of
Endowments and Islamic Affairs; and His Excellency Dr Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin Turki Al
Subaie, Minister of Environment and Climate Change.
Highlighting Qatar's maritime heritage, the VIP Exclusive Entrance Experience hosted "A
Maritime Legacy and a Gateway to the World," an exhibition tracing Old Doha Port's story
from its earliest days. It also featured the Sewn Baggara, a heritage boat presented by
Qatar Creates from the National Collection of Qatar at Qatar Museums. Estimated to date
from before 1899, the boat is more than 125 years old and was used for pearl diving and for
carrying light goods between ports across the Gulf. The boat closely resembles the Qatari
sewn Baggara known as "Umm Al-Hanaya," and reflects the maritime heritage Qatar
shares with its Gulf neighbors, where such boats strengthened trade and cultural ties for
centuries.
Alongside it, the Oshar Art Exhibition, titled "The Sea in Qatar's Artistic Memory," presented
works by Qatari artist Yousef Ahmad that explore the bond between the people of Qatar
and the sea. The works are rendered in Qatar Sea, a distinctive shade of blue created
specifically for Old Doha Port. Drawing on memories of the sea and the old pier, once a
gathering place for the people of Qatar, the exhibition turned the nation's maritime
memory into an expression of place, identity and heritage.
Beda’a Watches, the show's Official Watch Sponsor, completed the entrance with a
selection of its collections. A Qatari brand founded in 2016, Beda’a produces its watches
in Switzerland. The display included the Eclipse, which received an official nomination at
the 2025 Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève, alongside its latest release, the Eclipse II, a
more technically advanced design whose movement was developed with Swiss specialist
Dubois Dépraz. Both were shown among other pieces from the brand's collections.
The exhibitions at the VIP Entrance were made possible through Old Doha Port's
collaboration with Qatar Creates, Qatar Museums, Beda’a and Qatari artist Yousef Ahmad,
alongside the national institutions that contributed archival material to the history
exhibition. These partnerships brought heritage, art and craftsmanship into a single space,
giving guests a fuller picture of Qatar's relationship with the sea from the moment they
arrived.
During the first day of Qatar Boat Show, Al Shaali Marine celebrated the Qatar debut of the
ASMARATY G77 with a ribbon-cutting and guided tour, while Gulf Craft presented the latest
updates to its Majesty range. A Benetti press conference followed, outlining plans to
strengthen its presence in the Middle East and unveiling the latest evolutions of its Oasis
range. Qatar Boat Show 2026 continues at Old Doha Port until Saturday, November 7.