Bahrain authorities have said that work is in full swing on the world’s largest eco-friendly underwater theme park, which is being developed within the Kingdom’s master-planned island city, Diyar Al Muharraq and will be opened in August 2019.

The Bahrain Underwater Theme Park will include several unique dive spots, in addition to artificial coral reefs that will submerged in the later stages of the project so as to form a safe haven for the local marine ecosystem, officials of Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) said in a statement.

Once upon, it will be the largest diving park in the world, covering an area of more than 100,000sqm, they added. It will feature dive experiences such as a submerged 70m Boeing 747, which will be the centrepiece attraction, as well as a replica of a traditional Bahraini pearl merchant’s house and several artificial coral reefs.

Submerged sculptures fabricated from eco-friendly materials will also be utilised to provide a safe haven for coral reef growth and habitats for marine life, officials continued.

They added that the dive site will also provide researcher with a wealth of information and data on marine ecology and biology. They anticipated that it would be a major boost to the kingdom’s ecotourism sector. The project will also help boost coral growth and the development of sustainable habitats for marine life to thrive.

“We are proud to launch this unique eco-friendly project in cooperation with the Supreme Council for Environment and the Private sector,” said Zayed bin Rashid Al Zayani, minister for industry, Commerce and Tourism.

He added that the project is being implemented in accordance with strict environmental standards and international best industry practices in the field of environmental sustainability. The overall aim to revive the kingdom’s marine ecosystem and preserve its local marine environment, he concluded.