Abra, the traditional wooden boat, one of the oldest modes of transport in the Middle East, has won a prestigious global award for Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), a company that is known for its use of cutting-edge technology.
These traditional abras come with a slight modification though – instead of using fossil fuels, they are all solar power-operated.
The resulting zero-emission abra has been named winner of the ‘Best Renewable Resources, Sustainable Transport’ category of the Asian Leadership Awards.
RTA’s Marine Transport Department has mapped out plans aligned with its overall green economy strategy that fosters the culture of green economy and sustainable transport. Under the scheme, the number of zero-emission abras has now reached 50 percent of all RTA-owned abras.
The department is making efforts to conserve the environment through a variety of projects and initiatives such as hybrid abras, and the use of bio-diesel for traditional abras in Dubai Creek launched last year.
RTA also won the Global Leadership Award in the ‘Field of Sustainability’ as well as winning the Arabia Corporate Social Responsibility Award 2022 and the Gulf Sustainability Award.
RTA’s Marine Transport Department has won the Best Renewable Resources, Sustainable Transport Award for introducing traditional green abras powered by solar energy.
The submission by RTA’s Safety, Risk Regulation & Planning Department about comprehensive CSR empowerment project won the Arabia Corporate Social Responsibility Award 2022 in ‘Large-Sized Enterprises’ category.
RTA also won the Gulf Sustainability Award in three different categories: Best Sustainability Team, Best Environmental Sustainability Programme, and Innovation in Sustainable Technology. The Global Leadership Award was also in the category of Best Sustainability Performance.
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