A Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry-led trade mission is taking part in a top maritime exhibition being held in Hamburg, Germany.

The delegation, with over 25 Dubai-based business leaders and company officials from the maritime sector, is led by Hisham Al Shirawi, vice chairman, Dubai Chamber, to the 26th edition of the five-day Shipbuilding, Machinery and Marine Technology (SMM 2014 Expo) which runs till September 12, said a statement.

“The main purpose behind the trade mission is to help Dubai companies build bridges of cooperation with international maritime business leaders and to help establish contacts in shipbuilding, machinery and marine technology while also to promote Dubai’s maritime industry and its strategic location to a global audience,” said Al Shirawi.

The trade mission is also aimed at strengthening Dubai’s image as a key maritime hub and business destination, to support the overseas expansion of UAE companies, and to gain insight into recent trends impacting the marine industries, he said.

The participating companies include Dry Docks World & Maritime World, Mubarak Marine, Jumbo Line Shipping Agency, Tasneef, Emirates Classification Society, DNV GL – Maritime, Aries Group of Companies, The Folk Group, Dubai Trading Agency Group, Elcome International, Nor Crane & Winch, Fichte & Co Legal Consultancy, and Hamburg Representative Office in Dubai.

The event includes five seminars and congresses covering some of the most important key areas in the maritime industry including Ship Finance Forum; Global Maritime Environmental Congress (GMEC); International Conference on Maritime Security & Defence (MS&D); and SMM Offshore Dialogue as well as an open discussion on Hamburg & Dubai – Potentials for Maritime Cooperation.

The companies are also showcasing their latest innovations, while getting a platform to communicate with decision-makers and stakeholders in the field of maritime navigation.

Meanwhile, the chamber released a study on opportunities for joint co-operation for Dubai and Hamburg in the maritime sector.

The maritime sector is a major area of co-operation for Dubai and Hamburg as the emirate enjoys a high rate of shipping movement, shipbuilding and repair facilities and expertise in ports management, the study revealed.

It also pointed out that Hamburg is a leader in shipbuilding and ship suppliers, marine engineering, in particular for the offshore engineering and offshore wind energy industries, state-specific integration of shipping companies, shipping, ports and harbours, education and academia and maritime services.

The maritime industry is witnessing a growing trend in the UAE due to new projects for the development of Port Rashid and the Dubai Maritime City, the first ever purpose-built maritime cluster in the world, as well as the Hamriya Port which is in the process of modernising and upgrading to deliver significant services of value to both the shipping industry and the fishing community, it said.

Germany has a well-developed shipbuilding industry, building not only large modern ships but also mega-yachts that are in demand in the region while presently there are several companies in Dubai that are into provision of maritime services and production of parts, it added.

These are areas that co-operation between Hamburg companies and Dubai companies could develop and strengthen, not only for the domestic maritime industry, but for global operations as well, Al Shirawi said.

Other areas of co-operation would be ship efficiency, emissions and safety, offshore wind energy and deep sea engineering as well as the use of green technologies in the maritime sector, he added. - TradeArabia News Service