Dubai-based global marine terminal operator DP World has partnered with Legoland Dubai, to present the theme park’s boating school and sea port attractions as the exclusive ‘port terminal’ sponsor.

Legoland Dubai, part of Dubai Parks and Resorts, the region’s largest integrated theme park destination, features over 40 interactive rides, shows and attractions and 15,000 Lego models made from over 60 million Lego bricks.

It is designed to provide a full day’s interactive theme park experience for families with children aged 2-12, said a statement from the company.

Boating school offers children the opportunity to captain their own boats and sea port is a themed playground island where they can climb and roam structures to experience the workings of a port. Parents can accompany their children on the boat rides or enjoy the adult seating area with a view of the grounds, it stated.

The five-year agreement aligns with DP World’s Global Education Programme, which aims to raise awareness about the maritime sector, trade and logistics, and related career options.

With business units in 14 countries already delivering the programme to local schools, the aim is to reach out to 34,000 young people globally by 2020, it added.

According to a recent YouGov study commissioned by DP World, 60 per cent of young people don’t understand what ‘logistics’ means and yet trade is the bedrock of economies with 90 per cent of all goods transported by sea.

Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, chairman and CEO, DP World Group, said: “This is a great opportunity for us to reach out to future leaders. Through education and teaching children about trade, we encourage involvement in our industry for the long term.”

“Our industry is changing rapidly and the application of new technologies means there are a variety of new types of jobs available,” he said.

“Today, driverless cars, drones and automated quay cranes driven by joysticks in a control room are used in our operations and skills to tackle subjects such as big data, the internet of things and robotics will also bring about change. These are exciting times for young and adventurous minds to begin understanding our sector and thinking of their future careers,” he added.

Siegfried Boerst, general manager, Legoland Dubai, said: “We are excited to align with DP World for our sea port and boating school attractions at Legoland Dubai.”

“Playful learning and education are at the heart of everything we do at our parks, and partnering with a world-class entity such as DP World who believe in enriching the lives and experiences of future generations is a natural complement to our ongoing initiatives,” he said.

Education forms part of DP World’s ‘Our World, Our Future’ global sustainability programme. The aim is to bring sustainability into every aspect of the company’s work, by investing in the long term in their businesses around the world, driving best practice, investing in innovation and measuring progress, he added.-TradeArabia News Service