Sultan bin Sulayem: Dubai Maritime Week 2016 reinforces Dubai’s aspirations to be a leading global maritime hub

All regional and global attention is now turned to Dubai for the much-awaited opening of the prestigious ‘Dubai Maritime Week 2016’ to be held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council. Dubai Maritime City Authority (DMCA) is all geared up for the launching of the high-level event on October 30, 2016 in Dubai. The biennial maritime conference, one-of-a-kind event in the region, attracts key local and international decision makers, experts, and maritime leaders to the emirate to join extensive discussions on the best international practices and innovative solutions to further the competitiveness of the global maritime clustering.

As part of the relentless endeavors to reinforce Dubai’s global status as a leading maritime destination, the third edition of Dubai Maritime Week will feature a host of informative and interactive events such as the ‘Dubai Maritime Summit,’ the ‘UAE Maritime Leaders Seminar,’ ‘Seatrade Maritime Middle East,’ the ‘Global Shippers Forum,’ and the ‘DMCA partners appreciation gathering.’ It will provide a practical platform to strengthen communication and international cooperation to build a clear roadmap, overcome obstacles, and optimize opportunities for a safe and sustainable international maritime community.

H.E. Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Chairman of Dubai Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation and Chairman of DMCA, said: “Dubai Maritime Week 2016 is globally recognized as a venue for elite minds from the maritime industry. It features an integrated agenda developed to nurture national and international efforts and find common frameworks for raising maritime standards according to 21st-century needs. Undoubtedly, our continuous success is the result of the fruitful efforts of the Dubai Maritime City Authority and Dubai Maritime Cluster Office and our strategic partners to transform Dubai and the UAE into one of the most advanced maritime hubs in the world. All our efforts are in line with the vision and directions of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai.”

H.E. Bin Sulayem added: “The support extended to us by H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum consistently inspires us to organize a world-class event in accordance with the aspirations of Dubai’s leader to make the emirate globally competitive and at par with international maritime standards of leadership and excellence. For one week, we will promote effective dialogue with leading regional and international maritime pioneers, share experiences, transfer knowledge, and highlight the local maritime sector’s important achievements making it a pioneering and sustainable model of inclusiveness and diversity.”

The Dubai Maritime Summit, a platform for innovation

The Dubai Maritime Summit will host the launching of the first-ever edition of the ‘Dubai Maritime Innovation Award,’ which will honor unique initiatives that have made valuable contributions to the local sector’s growth, development, and resurgence. The Summit will focus on innovation, which is the topic of one of the five interactive sessions to be moderated by renowned international economic expert and journalist Todd Benjamin. The five sessions will tackle ‘The State of the Global Industry,’ ‘The Global Shipping Markets,’ ‘Launch of the Emirates Maritime Arbitration Centre (EMAC),’ ‘Innovation in Shipping Technology’ and ‘Maritime Regulation.’

Elite global maritime industry leaders, decision makers, policy makers, senior government officials, and regional and international maritime pioneers will serve as keynote speakers at this year’s Dubai Maritime Summit. These include Kitack Lim, Secretary General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO); H.E. Dr. Abdullah Belhaif Al Nuaimi, UAE Minister of Infrastructure Development and Chairman of the Federal Transport Authority – Land and Maritime; and H.E. Bin Sulayem.

Amer Ali, Executive Director, Dubai Maritime City Authority, said: “This year’s Summit will be a leading interactive platform for all participants to study current data and review emerging trends and future prospects of the global maritime sector. It will focus on creating effective frameworks that will unify all international efforts to modernize maritime legislative structures, encourage innovation and creativity in maritime technology, and adopt the latest smart technologies. Such a move will help to develop a sustainable maritime sector at the local, regional, and international levels.”

He added: “We look forward to the successful holding of Dubai Maritime Week, which boosts ongoing efforts to enhance Dubai’s reputation as an ideal destination for major events that are influential to the future of the global maritime industry. We are confident that the forthcoming edition will be a big success thanks to our wise leaders’ unlimited support and DMCA’s intensive efforts to transform the emirate into one of the world’s leading maritime capitals.”

‘UAE Maritime Leaders Seminar’

The inauguration of the UAE Maritime Leaders Seminar will be held on the sidelines of Dubai Maritime Week 2016. Its launching will be a major leap in ongoing initiatives to cement the worldwide leadership of Dubai and the UAE in terms of maritime excellence and innovation. The first-of-its-kind seminar will help build a foundation for the use of smart navigation technologies and revolutionary communication mechanisms for the maritime industry’s benefit. Additionally, it will highlight the key role of innovation in transforming Dubai into one of the world’s most important maritime capitals.

International high-profile speakers and senior pioneers will lead a series of in-depth discussions to be moderated by Captain Michael P. Elwert, Group CEO for Elektrans Group. The agenda will revolve around four main topics, namely ‘Smart Maritime Navigation,’ ‘Advantages of Smart Maritime Navigation,’ ‘Role of Effective Communication in Promoting Smart Maritime Navigation and Development of Human Factor,’ and ‘Role of Smart Maritime Navigation in Shaping the Future of Maritime Sector.’ Among the key participants are Nawfal Al Jourani, Head of the Dubai Maritime Cluster Office and DMCA’s Director of Marketing Communications; Dr. Volker Bertram, Senior Project Manager-DNV GL Maritime Advisory; Oskar Levander, Vice President for Innovation, Rolls-Royce; Frank Coles, CEO of Transas; and Gwynne Lewis, Head of Data, Digital and Software, LR Marine and Offshore, Lloyd’s Register EMEA.

Dubai Maritime Week 2016 will run from October 30 to November 3, 2016 in Dubai. It will attract more than 350 exhibitors from leading international maritime companies along with more than 7,000 visitors, including renowned local, regional, and global maritime experts and specialists. All participants will discuss the latest maritime developments, study the most important solutions to current industry challenges, and evaluate promising domestic and international maritime opportunities.