Gulf waterfront developments are set to turn the region into the world's biggest market for water-buses and small passenger ferries, according to industry experts.

Regional demand for fast vessels carrying between eight and up to 300 passengers could exceed 400 over the next 10 years, say leading shipbuilders from countries such as the Netherlands, Turkey, Norway and Australia hoping to win a share of orders.

'We are anticipating there is going to be a huge demand for passenger transport of all kinds,' said Damen Shipyards Netherlands Middle East sales director Martin de Bruijn, whose company announced a joint venture with Albwardy Marine Engineering of Dubai.

De Bruin was speaking at the Workboats Middle East, the region's only dedicated event of its kind, which ends at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre on Wednesday.

'Exactly what kind of craft will be required is still a big question mark but, quite simply, this has never been done before on such a scale,' he said.-TradeArabia News Service