Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), expressed deep thanks and appreciation to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, for the continued support and follow-up of the Dubai Water Canal project.

"Thanks to the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed, the project has been delivered on the prescribed time limit," said Al Tayer.

"The Dubai Water Canal is one of the shrewd ideas of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to add a unique tourist & commercial landmark that offers a new style of living in Dubai city. The project is a dream that has come true of Dubai builder the late Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, to deepen the Dubai Creek. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed has complemented this drive by linking the Dubai Creek with the Arabian Gulf through the Business Bay and the Dubai Water Canals extending 12 km."

The Canal will have several positive environmental effects in improving the quality of water of the entire waterway (Creek, Business Bay and the Water Canal) by 33%. It will also become a prominent urban & tourist landmark capable of raising the profile of Dubai as a splendid tourist attraction expected to attract more than 30 million visitors per annum.

The Canal will increase the international competitiveness of Dubai, and appreciate the value of land in the proximity of the Canal. The Canal will provide an additional opportunity to enhance the role of marine transport in serving tourist, commercial and residential activities in the neighbourhood.

The number of riders using marine transit modes ferrying the Canal is expected to top one million riders per annum by 2020, and the number of riders is set jump further to four million riders by 2030.