The UAE’s contributions to the global maritime industry and its unprecedented achievements in the field were highlighted at a key meeting currently under way in Dubai.

The meeting of the General Committee of the International Maritime Organization, organised by the UAE’s Federal Transport Authority for Land and Maritime, will continue until July 28.

The meeting witnessed a detailed presentationon of the UAE’s candidacy for a membership of the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) Executive Council.

With its filing done in the presence of high-level international delegations, the presentation threw the spotlight on the country’s contributions to the international maritime system; its active involvements in a number of IMO agreements; its role in supporting the local, regional, and global maritime sectors; and its deep-rooted maritime history.

At the meeting, Dr Abdullah Belheif Al Nuaimi, UAE's Minister of Infrastructure Development and chairman of the FTA, noted that the UAE has solidified its leading maritime position by hosting well-known maritime-related events and conferences, including the UAE Maritime Week, Dubai Maritime Week, Dubai Maritime Summit, Abu Dhabi Summit of Global Marine and Maritime Leaders, International Fujairah Bunkering and Fuel Oil Forum, and many other regional and international gatherings.

These initiatives have placed the UAE among the ranks of the most prominent international maritime capitals.

The UAE boasts 20 leading world-class ports, a majority of which are among the top 10 international ports in terms of advanced transport and maritime shipping infrastructure.

According to Al Nuaimi, the country’s highly competitive advantages have positioned it alongside the world’s most prominent and leading countries with best-in-class maritime industries. As such, the UAE is qualified as an IMO Category B member. Ten countries with major interests in the international maritime trade have won membership in the category.

Furthermore, he noted that the local maritime sector’s steady growth is the result of the UAE government’s relentless improvement efforts. Thanks to its strategic geographical location as well, the country has one of the busiest commercial waterways in the world. It is considered as one of the leading maritime trading platforms in the Arabian Gulf, East Africa, Indian Subcontinent, Europe, and Asia.

The global maritime market has increased over the past years in a world where 90 per cent of trade activities is still dependent on shipping.

The UAE has been a productive IMO member since 1980 due to its highly diversified maritime sector and rich maritime heritage. With a strong presence on the global maritime map, the country has been continuously reinforcing its regional and international cooperation. The UAE, considered one of the world’s fastest-growing maritime hubs and one of the most economically and commercially developed maritime markets in the Middle East, has also consistently sought ways to add value to world trade, the international maritime transport, and marine shipping.

To maintain its competitive edge, the UAE constantly develops and implements maritime transport regulations as part of its commitment to help improve the international maritime system.

Al Nuaimi said: “For all these reasons, we stress that the candidacy and winning the nomination to the council membership is the UAE’s fundamental and inalienable right.”

“To prove its eligibility even more, the country will continue to implement initiatives that will ensure international maritime success, maintain its leadership, and promote greater regional growth.  We will strive harder under the guidance of our forward-looking leaders, leveraging our vast experiences to succeed in our goal,” he added.

Al Nuaimi was met Kitack Lim, secretary general of the IMO, wherein he shared the role of the UAE in improving the international maritime system and boosting the growth of international maritime trade.

Lim praised the unique features of the maritime sector in the UAE and the important role it plays in supporting the global maritime sector and the keenness of the UAE side to develop the maritime transport sector, implement international maritime safety standards, and build new human and technical capacities and resources to keep pace with the continuous development in the transport sector, through the cooperation between the organisation and the UAE authorities working in this field.

The members are scheduled to be elected at the 30th Ordinary General Assembly meeting between November 24 and December 5. – TradeArabia News Service