Marine life was and still is the vessel of life for the people of the U.A.E. As such the life of the fathers and grandfathers was strongly interlinked to the sea as the main source of income. This was evident in their activities, such as fishing, pearl fishing, and travelling to neighbouring countries and the ports of East Africa and India for trade.

Traditional boats are the ancient sailing ships of the Arabian seas and the oldest type of ships still in use. They are also the largest wooden vessels being built today and they ply trade routes that have existed for 4500 years.

There are about a dozen different kinds of traditional boats, each unique in the modern world. Among them the General Postal Authority, UAE, in conjunction with Sheikh Saeed AI Maktoum House in Dubai and Heritage House in Sharjah has selected the most famous four traditional boats to be illustrated on a special set of stamps in four denominations:

AL SHAHOOF: 50 Fils

16-40 feet long, 6-12 feet wide, and 3-5 feet high. Primary a support boat for pearl diving and fishing activities.

AL BAGARAH: 250 Fils

20-60 feet long, 9-13 feet wide, and 3-7 feet high. AL BAGARAH is mainly used for pearl diving and fishing purposes.

AL SAM' AA: Dhs.3

Between 25-80 feet long, 9-20 feet wide and 3-10 feet high. AL SAM'AA is considered as one of the oldest pearl diving boats in the UAE. It is multipurpose boat which is used for pearl diving, passenger vessel as well as cargo.

AL JALBOOT: 350 Fils

15-60 feet long, 6-16 feet wide and 4-7 feet high. AL JALBOOT is a widely used design in the Arabian Gulf Area, and its main uses are: Fishing, pearl diving, cargo and passenger transport.