The United Arab Emirates has participated in the 34th session of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Assembly, held at the organisation’s headquarters in London.
Eng Hessa Al Malek, Advisor to the Minister for Maritime Transport Affairs at the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, headed the UAE delegation participating in the meetings, which saw broad international attendance to discuss the future of the global maritime sector amid rapidly evolving environmental and technological changes.
"The maritime sector, including shipping, is confronted with an accelerated transition towards digitalisation and automation. We firmly believe that IMO should always aim to integrate new and advancing technologies in its regulatory framework, such as the development of the Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships Code, the mandatory requirement of electronic data exchange within the maritime single window with its associated cyber risk," Al Malek said.
She said that it is commendable that IMO has initiated the work towards developing a dedicated strategy on maritime digitalisation to drive innovation, resilience, efficiency, and growth in the sector, which involves the governments as well as the industry stakeholders.
Al Malek added, “In terms of decarbonisation, significant progress has been made since the adoption of the revised 2023 IMO Strategy on reduction of GHG emissions from ships, which is considered to be a remarkable milestone that contributes towards the global efforts in addressing climate change.
"In this context, the UAE—driven by its commitment to achieving climate neutrality by 2050,recognises the importance of making realistic and steady progress toward decarbonising the maritime sector, in a way that ensures the continuity of global trade flows and strengthens the path of economic growth.”
Al Malek noted that the human element is of extreme importance to the shipping industry, which is considered the backbone of this industry and the smooth functioning of global trade.
She said, “Seafarers who are and will always remain at the core of IMO's activities, particularly during this transformation, which would pose a significant implication for the workforce preparedness in the future. Therefore, we believe that the organisation should carefully assess the essential skills needed in the current decade to ensure seafarers are ready for the future to stay relevant as new challenges arise and the pace of change accelerates, keeping in mind the utmost importance of fair treatment, inclusivity, equality, diversity, the empowerment of women and supporting gender equality.”
She explained that effective implementation of IMO initiatives is key to their success, saying, “IMO has almost 60 years of experience, developing more than 50 international treaties, together with the related standards, guidelines and other documents. Member States must first understand the requirements of this extensive body of international law for it to be effectively, efficiently and consistently implemented and enforced.”
She concluded her remarks by reaffirming the UAE’s commitment to international partnership and to building a more resilient and sustainable maritime ecosystem.
She also emphasised the UAE’s support for the IMO’s efforts to protect the marine environment, enhance the safety and security of navigation, and strengthen the capabilities of countries toward a more efficient and prosperous maritime future.
