A yacht flying the flag for Bahrain during a round-the-world race that started on Sunday, has been named after His Majesty King Hamad.

Labour Minister Dr Majeed Al Alawi and Bahrain's Ambassador to France Dr Nasser Al Balooshi attended a ceremony to mark the occasion in Les Sables-d'Olonne, in western France on Sunday, said a report in our sister publication, the Gulf Daily News.

Bahrain is partnering Team Pindar in the gruelling, three-month solo Vendee Globe race.

The yacht is skippered by Brian Thompson and backed by the Pindar Group, whose chairman Andrew Pindar is a long-standing friend of Dr Al Alawi.

Pindar said earlier that flying the Bahrain flag was his gift to the country in return for all Dr Al Alawi had done for him over the years.

The vessel will feature the country's national crest on its sails. - TradeArabia News Service