Saeed bin Ahmed Al Maktoum: Reinforcing Dubai’s competitiveness on the global maritime map

Huraiz Almur bin Huraiz: A collaboration that serves the development of racing and provides a safe environment for the marine sports sector

Stemming from its constant concern on the importance of coordination and cooperation to support marine sports in Dubai, and to promote the strategic partnership between local governmental bodies and federations, the “Dubai Maritime City Authority” at the Ports, Customs, and Free Zone Corporation (PCFC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the “UAE Marine Sports Federation” to strengthen the frameworks of coordination between the two for regulating the use of marine crafts participating in maritime races, and locating special areas for training in line with the highest standards of global safety and security.

This took place during the signing of a memorandum of understanding between His Excellency Sheikh Saeed bin Ahmed Al Maktoum, the Executive Director of the “Dubai Maritime City Authority” at the Ports, Customs, and Free Zone Corporation

(PCFC), and His Excellency Huraiz Almur bin Huraiz, President of the “UAE Marine Sports Federation”, where it was agreed on the issuance of special permits for organizing marine events and races in Dubai and specific

circulars for navigation, which will ensure the distinction of UAE in regional and international marine racing and boost its role in supporting various marine sports to match the best in the world, in succession of the remarkable reputation it has achieved during the past three decades.

The scope of cooperation also covers the verification of the technical condition of the marine sports craft and its suitability for safe use, enumeration of the marine sports crafts and ensuring its use for the purposes of training or racing only and during designated times, issuance of identification for the marine craft and driver, in addition to the limitation of the number of marine sports crafts and monitoring the extent of commitment to the special areas set for marine racing trainings.

His Excellency Sheikh Saeed bin Ahmed Al Maktoum commented on this agreement: “the Dubai Maritime City Authority is committed to consolidating the frameworks of the effective strategic partnership with its partners from the governmental and private sectors in order to improve all the aspects of the maritime sector, and the cooperation agreement with the |”UAE Marine Sports Federation” represents an advanced step towards establishing the principles of collaborative work and reinforcing our partnership across all the fields that support our vision to inspire a safe, renewable, and sustainable maritime sector. We also look forward to adopting the best practices used for regulating marine racing crafts and designating practice areas that are conform with the highest international standards in order to empower athletes and improve their capacity to compete and properly represent the UAE in major international tournaments”.

His Excellency Sheikh Saeed bin Ahmed Al Maktoum indicated that the signing of the memorandum of understanding represents one of many cooperative methods

between the Dubai Maritime City Authority and the UAE Marine Sports Federation, given the role each plays towards society, activities, and fields, where this agreement will contribute in unifying and facilitating the procedures required for regulating the use of marine crafts, and setting Dubai in the pole position on the global maritime map, complementing its progressive achievements under the guidance of the sound leadership for promoting, organizing, and developing the local maritime sector to become the bandwagon for complete development in the emirate.

From his side, His Excellency Huraiz Almur bin Huraiz, President of the “UAE Marine Sports Federation”, asserted the importance of this agreement since it paves the way for employing common capacities in the service of the development of marine sports competitions, in line with the advanced position the UAE has attained on the global sporting level, where it occupies the lead across various fields and has become today the number one destination in Asia and the Middle East for marine sports enthusiasts especially speedboats and jet skis sports where the federation organize and issue their regulations, conditions, and instructions.

Bin Huraiz also added: “We seek to establish an environment that stimulates and encourages sports talents to reach the highest levels of excellence. And we underline our interest in closely working with all strategic partners, notably the Maritime Authority, to reinforce the competitive resources of our country in the field of marine sports which is considered an integral part of our traditional and cultural heritage, extending his sincere thanks to all the efforts that contributed to the realization of this agreement which will aid marine sports fans to practice their hobby safe areas and contribute to improving their skills”.