Under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, the Dubai Maritime Summit 2014 started today, on Monday, October 27, 2014, during the start of the 2nd Dubai Maritime Week, organized by Dubai Maritime City Authority (DMCA) to position the enchanting Dubai yacht charter destination among the world’s leading maritime hubs. The first-of-its-kind summit kicked off with extensive discussions on ways to improve various components of the maritime sector, with special focus on the latest global industry developments.
Dubai Maritime Summer 2014 - Right to Left: Jo Espinoza-Ferrey, Director of International Maritime Organization (IMO), Philipe Donche-Gay, Chairman of International Association of Classifications Societies (IACS), H.E. Sultan Bin Sulayem, Chairman of Dubai Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation and President of DMCA and H.E. Dr. Abdullah Belhaif Al-Nuaimi, UAE Minister of Public Works
Hosted by Zainab Badawi, BBC’s international presenter, the summit featured top-notch international speakers and industry leaders who commended Dubai’s continuous pursuit to become a first-class international maritime centre. They also lauded DMCA’s efforts to implement an integrated strategy to boost the industry’s components, upgrade its infrastructure, improve its operations and logistics, and diversify investment opportunities to promote the sector’s regional and global competitiveness.
The inaugural edition of Dubai Maritime Summit bolstered Dubai’s status as a premier host of international maritime events and conventions. It offered an interactive environment to boost effective communication amongst senior government officials, leading regional and international experts, decision-makers, media representatives, ship owners and manufacturers, operators of ports and marine stations and law enforcement authorities from all over the world. Other attendees included representatives of companies involved in brokerage, marine consultancy, shipping, oil transport and legal consultancy as well as non-government organizations, environmentalists and experts in maritime safety systems.
Amer Ali, Executive Director, Dubai Maritime City Authority, said: “The success of Dubai Maritime Summit 2014 reaffirms Dubai’s position as one of the leading centers of maritime excellence and innovation. It served as a great start for Dubai Maritime Week, which serves as an ideal platform for international companies to leverage on the promising opportunities in the Middle East’s maritime industry. The summit has now become a leading maritime event in the region, establishing a strong foundation to promote Dubai’s global competitiveness. The emirate is now comparable to the world’s leading maritime and logistics centers such as Singapore, which is at the forefront of Asia’s maritime sector.”
“We are honored by the participation of prominent figures from the UAE and the rest of the world at the Dubai Maritime Summit. Its success further inspires us to intensify our efforts for next year’s edition to encourage continuous exchange of international best practices. This is one of our key objectives in order to attain a vibrant and secure maritime industry in Dubai,” Ali added.
The Dubai Maritime Summit 2014 boasts a list of high-profile speakers, including Dr. Abdullah Belhaif Al-Nuaimi, UAE Minister of Public Works; H.E. Sultan Bin Sulayem, Chairman of Dubai Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation and President of DMCA; Jo Espinoza-Ferrey, Director of International Maritime Organization (IMO); Philipe Donche-Gay, Chairman of International Association of Classifications Societies (IACS); Dr Phillip Belcher, Marine Director of International Federation of Independent Tanker Owners (INTERTANKO); and Doug Barrow, Chief Executive of Maritime London.
Dubai Maritime Week 2014, which will run until October 30, 2014, features a series of high-level events such as Seatrade Middle East Maritime 2014 and Seatrade Maritime Awards. Panel discussions, interactive workshops, DMCA Partners Appreciation Gala Dinner, among others, will be held as well.
