Emirates Maritime Arbitration Centre (Emac), a first-of-its-kind entity in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region, has started operations from its new office at Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC).

An independent not-for-profit entity, Emac said was now fully ready to accept arbitration and mediation and applications and resolve the maritime disputes in the region.
 
Majid Bin Bashir, the vice chairman and secretary general of Emac said: "We are the first specialised maritime arbitration centre to be established in the Mena region. Emac aims to serve businesses across the UAE, the GCC and the Mena by facilitating the dispute resolution of maritime issues in a professional manner."

"Our vision is excellence in maritime arbitration and its mission is providing a trusted and global standard for maritime arbitration services," he stated.

Emac is now online as well and it has been updated with all key information including the statute in relation to its governance, arbitration and mediation rules besides the application to become arbitrators.

According to Bashir, it is an advanced maritime arbitration centre with its rules based on internationally-recognized and accepted standards such as those of the Uncitral and uses the DIFC as its default jurisdiction enabling enforcement of arbitral awards in a timely fashion.

He said the Emac arbitration and mediation rules have been approved by the Board of Trustees and are now in effect.

"The rules address standard application procedures for arbitration and mediation and the associated fees. The Arbitration Rules also identify the possibility of fast track arbitration if necessary. Furthermore, emergency arbitration for interim measures are also addressed and accounted for in the event of extreme urgency," stated Bashir.

To ensure a global standard of arbitration and mediation, Emac is offering a variety of additional services such as arbitration/mediation meeting rooms, appointment of translators, session stenographers and case secretaries.

All of these services are intended to streamline the process making it seamless, timely and very cost effective, said Bashir.

Richard Briggs, a member of Emac's executive committee stated: "We are confident of meeting the challenge of being a specialised regional and international arbitration centre operating out of the UAE, servicing and adding to the maritime and trade cluster already thriving in the region."

Emac has called upon companies and organizations (public and private) within the maritime sector to start using its model arbitration and mediation clauses in its contracts, standard terms and conditions to facilitate fast dispute resolution to ensure the advancement and continuous development of the sector. The entity is now open to membership.

Emac plans to hold workshops, seminars and lectures about maritime issues, arbitration and mediation issues and other related topics that are of interest to its members, the sector or necessary for the overall development of the sector.

The first such event will be its formal public launch on November 2 during Dubai Maritime Summit. It will also hold an introductory panel in Abu Dhabi during the ADIPEC event on November 10.

In the schedule of events, there is an upcoming event in Fujairah in March 2017 to engage the different stakeholders in the sector.-TradeArabia News Service