Dubai's Working Creek

Dubai Creek was critical to Dubai's development of its Fatah Offshore Oil Fields in the 1960s and 70s. Sheikh Rashid granted the American Company McDermotts International the use of land on Diera Creekside adjacent to Al Maktoum Bridge. This was used for the construction of steel structures needed at the OffShore Oil Fields.

McDermott's Yard 1960s plus"Phillips" Building and Dubai's Clocktower.

Cruising on Dubai Creek!!

Today Dubai Creek is a major tourist attraction with Dinner Dhows, Abras and commercial dhows plying this busy waterway. But in the 1960s and 70s anyone "cruising" on Dubai Creek was likely to encounter one of McDermott's huge barges loaded with an equally huge steel structure making its way down the Creek out to the oil fields. The barge and its towing tugs would need to complete width of the Creek to negotiate its bends. All the dhows and abras on the Creek would have to get out of its way or risk being run over.