IMO’s Secretary General Briefed on Dubai Maritime Sector

A high-level delegation from Dubai to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) headquarters in London has given a presentation on Dubai’s maritime achievements and competitiveness to His Excellency (H.E.) Kitack Lim, the IMO Secretary General. Mr Lim said he was pleased to learn about Dubai’s prominent maritime features and achievements during the presentation.

The delegation consisted of Mohammad Yousuf Al Muallem, Senior Vice President & Managing Director, DP World – UAE Region, Amer Ali, Executive Director of Dubai Maritime City Authority (DMCA), Lakshmi Kanthan Janarthanan, Director – Commercial, Drydocks World – Dubai, and Nawfal Al Jourani, Head of Dubai Maritime Cluster Office, and Ali Al Daboos, Executive Director – Operations at Dubai Maritime City Authority. The visit served as an opportunity to showcase the UAE’s prominent role in the global maritime sector’s future before an international platform.

H.E. Kitack Lim, Secretary General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), said: “We are very interested to see the large and serious efforts being made by the United Arab Emirates, through Dubai, to improve all aspects of the maritime sector in that important region of the world. Dubai’s vision for the revitalization of the various components of its maritime clustering is commendable. We look forward to participating in the upcoming Dubai Maritime Summit within the Dubai Maritime Week 2016 in November.”

H.E. Sultan bin Sulayem, Chairman of Dubai Ports, Customs & Free Zone Corporation and President of Dubai Maritime City Authority, said: “I would like to express my thanks to the International Maritime Organization for their continuing interest in following up on the developments of the UAE’s and Dubai’s maritime sector. I am also extending my sincerest gratitude to H.E. Kitack Lim for allowing this great opportunity for us. The meeting served as a strategic and ideal platform to highlight the UAE’s leading position in today’s global maritime arena. It was also a great chance for us to review the roles of Dubai Ports World, Drydocks World, Dubai Maritime City Authority and Dubai Maritime Clustering Office, in the move to advance the growth and excellence led by Dubai as a leading global maritime hub. We value the efforts of all partners from the public and private sectors and we are committed to working closely with local, regional and international partners in order to define a clear roadmap to improve the global maritime industry in order to serve the development process of the maritime sector in the state.”

During the meeting, both parties discussed the local maritime sector’s landmark developments as a result of the unwavering and concerted efforts of concerned entities tasked to implement the Dubai Maritime Sector Strategy (MSS). The MSS lays the foundation for a vibrant domestic industry in a bid to position the emirate as one of the most globally competitive and attractive maritime sectors. In response, H.E. commended Dubai for its international accomplishments, citing, in particular, the major initiatives of DP World, DryDocks World, DMCA, and Dubai Maritime Cluster Office to promote innovation, establish a robust maritime arbitration, and implement smart transformation. All these efforts, significantly contribute to the city’s bid to become an outstanding international maritime cluster by 2020.

Moreover, the emirate’s long history, prominent achievements and future plans, in addition to its remarkable progress made possible by Dubai to transform into a world-class international maritime center backed by our wise leaders’ support were discussed. Key legislative measures and regulations as well as improved infrastructure and maritime operations have been passed in the UAE and established to comply with the globally recognized IMO standards.