UAE Maritime Week Announces Agenda And Initiatives For Its Upcoming In-Person Event

The event agenda for the UAE Maritime Week – under the patronage of the UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure – has been announced with pioneering initiatives aimed at supporting and empowering the marine industry. Organised by Seatrade Maritime, part of Informa Markets, the Week includes Seatrade Maritime Middle East, an in-person exhibition and conference to be held at Dubai Exhibition Centre from 12-16 December 2021, as part of Expo 2020.

This year, the UAE Maritime Week will focus on several subjects of utmost importance. The status of the maritime industry in the Middle East will be discussed through talks on market overview, regulatory challenges, developments in ports and terminals and the impact of Sulphur 2020. The event also aims to highlight the seafarers’ crisis through discussions on improving crewing practices, protection of crew members in charter negotiations, training and support offered to crew, and physical and mental well-being of seafarers. The event will also shed light on ocean transport and integrated logistics network, the role of data sharing in integrated logistics, offshore logistics, and supply chain integration.

Building connections for a united and progressive industry

The 2021 edition will introduce two new initiatives catering to both the private sector and government authorities to revolutionise operations in the industry. Through “Experience Maritime”, the event aims to reach out to leading organisations in the UAE, allowing them to showcase their competencies to their clients by inviting them to their state-of-the-art facilities for a first-hand experience of operations.

Another pivotal initiative is the “Maritime Leaders Forum,” which is a government-to-government closed-door event. This initiative brings together decision-makers and government authorities from the UAE to discuss the maritime sector in the country and its enhanced capabilities that have strengthened the UAE’s status as a leading maritime hub.

Elaborating on the initiatives, Elaborating on the initiatives, Chris Morley, Group Director – Maritime Events, Informa Markets Maritime said, “As organisers of one of the largest industry events in the region, every year, we introduce initiatives that are aimed at the development of the industry in the region. We ensure that they provide added value to the sector at all levels. Through our initiatives, we aim to promote the growth of not only the maritime industry, but also the economy of the UAE and the Middle East region as a whole. We provide platforms to showcase and highlight excellence and innovative solutions, and we firmly believe that the “Maritime Leaders Forum” will generate some valuable discussion and solutions for the industry and governments in the region. Building on the importance and value of the Seatrade Maritime Middle East exhibition and conference, the “Experience Maritime” day will provide customers with first-hand experiences of the world-class facilities available to the global market right here in the UAE.”

Discussing concerns that need to be addressed

Emma Howell, Director of Digital and Content, Seatrade Maritime, Informa Markets Maritime, said, “The UAE Maritime Week is a mega event in the maritime industry. Our commitment to constantly develop and expand the maritime sector is the prime reason behind our success over the years. To ensure that we maintain our status, year after year, we strive hard to touch upon key topics that are revolutionizing the industry and shaping the course for the future. We ensure that the event not only provides a business networking platform, but also an incubator where ideas can be generated and information can be exchanged. Key stakeholders from the industry will be supporting us in our endeavour to make the industry woke about pressing concerns and new developments by participating in strategic discussions.”

Although the pandemic caused market disruption across the globe, it accelerated the adoption of digital solutions to ensure continuity of business activities. This will be one of the key topics of discussion. Speakers will talk about the profitable application of data to digitalise the shipping sector. Discussions will cover topics such as digitalisation of port infrastructure, digital ISO standards, communication solutions, autonomous and remote-controlled ships and advantages of AI in the industry.

Furthermore, new regulations will also be discussed along with the usage of LNG as an alternate fuel in the Middle East to address environmental issues. In line with the IMO’s decarbonisation goals, the event will also discuss zero-carbon shipping, along with the presentation of low-carbon shipping case studies.