Leading shipowners, operators, and financiers from across the globe will be in Dubai to attend UAE Maritime Week 2018, the largest and most important maritime event in Middle East region, which opens its doors on October 28.
 
The event is being organised by Dubai Maritime City Authority (DMCA) under the patronage of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council.

The event, which runs till November 1, is aimed at strengthening communication channels between international leaders as well as highlight international best practices and innovative solutions that will pave the way for a smart and innovative and knowledge-driven global maritime industry.

The latest edition of the first-of-its-kind event in the region, which draws high international interest and participation, will also serve as an ideal venue to showcase the competitive advantages of Dubai and the UAE, which are ranked alongside the world's leading maritime capitals, said the statement from DMCA.

The Seatrade Maritime Middle East Exhibition will also be another key event during the UAE Maritime Week. The exhibition is the largest maritime trade show in the Middle East.

The ‘Seatrade Maritime Middle East Awards’ will be staged as well on October 29, 2018 at the Atlantis Hotel to honor industry excellence, creativity, and maritime innovation. About 850 international pioneers are expected to attend the Awards.

This year’s ‘UAE Maritime Week’ is expected to attract decision makers, government officials, policy makers and top representatives of international maritime companies to share their experiences and views on the latest innovations in shipping and cargo handling technologies that are currently facilitating, promoting, and supporting the global maritime trade.

Extensive discussions will be held on the future of alternative marine fuels for ships on top of the regulatory and legislative framework development process as the maritime industry takes the sustainable development road.
Participants will also tackle the impact of China’s ‘One Belt, One Road’ initiative, which aims to revive the ancient Silk Road, on the Middle East’s economic and commercial landscape.

The confirmed speakers this year are Claes Berglund, VP, European Community Shipowners' Association (ECSA); Dr George D Pateras, President of Hellenic Chamber of Shipping and Hellenic Maritime Cluster; Esben Poulsson, Chairman of International Chamber of Shipping; Aaron Heslehurst, News Anchor and Presenter in BBC World News TV; Mohammed Al Muallem, CEO and Managing Director, UAE Region, DP World; Iqbal Alikhan, Program Director of Blockchains & Innovations at IBM Middle East & Africa and Dheeraj Bhatia, Senior Managing Director of Region Middle East of Hapag Lloyd Middle East.

The list also includes Ralph Leszczynski, Global Head of Research of Banchero Costa Group; Denis Petropoulos, Founding Partner of Braemar Shipping Services; Captain Harihar Prasad, Managing Director of McQuilling Shipping Services DMCC; Dr Henriëtte Van Niekerk, Head of Dry Bulk Analysis at Clarksons Platou; Ross Thompson, Chief Commercial and Strategy Officer at Abu Dhabi Ports; Khalid Hashim, Managing Director of Precious Shipping; Tim Power, Managing Director of Drewry; Rayan Qutub, CEO of King Abdullah Port; Bora Bariman, Head of Energy & Marine, Corporate and Institutional Banking of National Bank of Fujairah; Jacob Berman, Managing Director, Infrastructure and Transportation of Standard Chartered Bank; Adrian Economakis, COO of Vessels Value; and Domenik Nizet, Senior VP of Shipping Finance, Asia Pacific & Middle East of DVB Bank SE.

Under the umbrella of the biennial event are high-profile maritime gatherings. They include the Dubai Maritime Summit, which is scheduled to simultaneously take place on October 28; and the UAE Maritime Future Leaders Seminars, which will discuss the best ways to employ innovation and smart technology to drive maritime growth and development in line with the requirements of the 21st century.

The seminars will see the participants focus on Dubai's successful experience in becoming one of the most important maritime capitals in the world, especially in light of the emirate entering the top five in the International Shipping Centre Development Index (ISCD).

The UAE Maritime Week 2018 is expected to attract huge turnout, repeating the achievements of the 2016 edition, said the statement from DMCA.

During the previous edition, more than 350 exhibitors from around the world and around 7,000 top local, regional, and international experts gathered under one single platform to discuss the latest developments in the maritime community and review the most important local and global solutions and opportunities, it added.-TradeArabia News Service