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Dubai has launched an ambitious initiative to engage more closely with maritime businesses as it looks to consolidate its position as one of the world’s foremost shipping centres. The newly created Maritime Advisory Council (MAC), led by the Dubai Maritime City Authority
(DMCA), will now foster collaboration and coordination between industry stakeholders from both the private and public sectors.
The MAC push supports both the Dubai Strategic Plan 2021, which aims to build a truly integrated and sustainable maritime economy, and Dubai Maritime Vision 2030, a plan conceived to strengthen the emirate’s unique competitive advantages. A ‘who’s who’ of major private businesses operating out of Dubai have already signed up as members.
“This initiative will nurture closer collaboration and mutual understanding between all the key maritime industry stakeholders in Dubai,” comments Amer Ali, Executive Director, DMCA. “By engaging with businesses on this level Dubai can achieve buy-in from industry to support its ambitious, strategic maritime objectives, while we also build our own understanding of exactly what our private partners want from a global shipping hub. This will help us appreciate their commercial challenges and find solutions that enhance the confidence of regional and international investors in our local marine environment. The result will be a stronger and mutually supportive sector, which will facilitate further growth of Dubai’s already booming maritime economy.”
With its business friendly environment, tax-free advantages, supportive regulations and world-class infrastructure, Dubai is proving a major pull for international maritime firms. Over the last two years alone some 75,000 new job opportunities have been created in the sector, while maritime now contributes some 4.6% of Dubai’s total GDP (equivalent to 14.4 billion AED).
According to Nawfal Al Jourani, DMCA Director Communications, this strong growth is on course to continue: “Dubai is driving maritime growth through political will, commercial understanding and a major investment in developing advanced infrastructure to support further sustainable development.
“With Maritime Vision 2030, in tandem with the Dubai Strategic Plan 2021, we have made a commitment to create a connected, smart and fertile business environment, where our natural strategic advantages are supported by first class services, knowledge and facilities. The Maritime Advisory Council will be a key facilitator in achieving our objectives.”
The Maritime Advisory Council is composed of key figures from prominent businesses operating in the sector. The members include DP World, Dry Docks World, Emirates Classification Society ‘TASNEEF,’ DIFC Courts, Clarksons, Tufton Oceanic, Gulf Energy Maritime (GEM), United Arab Shipping Company (UASC), Maersk Line, Emarat Maritime, Fichte and Co, Partner Ince and Co, Global Marketing Systems (GMS), and Dubai Trading Agency (DTA).
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