With this appointment, H.E. Al Malek will become the Club’s first Regional Ambassador

H.E. Eng. Hessa Al Malek, Advisor to the Minister for Maritime Transport, Affairs, the UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure has been appointed as the first Regional Ambassador of the Global Maritime Club – an international initiative created by Informa Markets Maritime.

With this appointment, the UAE has become the first country globally  to have an ambassador appointed  for the Club that primarily aims to promote growth in regional maritime sectors.

The first regional Club gathering will take place during UAE Maritime Week, taking in place in person from 12-16 December, 2021 as part of Expo 2020. The event is organised by Seatrade Maritime, part of Informa Markets. To date, the week includes Seatrade Maritime Middle East; Seatrade Maritime Awards Middle East, Indian Subcontinent & Africa; Maritime Leaders Forum and Experience Maritime. A day will be dedicated to terminal operators and associated industries as part of the global TOC brand, also a part of Informa Markets.

Leading the way forward

With a mission is to bring together ship owners, industry suppliers and key decision-makers in the sector through strategic networking opportunities and closed-door leadership roundtables, the Global Maritime Club aims to help Club members promote, secure and expand the global maritime industry. The Club effectively supports and proactively enables positive economic growth across all sectors in the industry. Over the years, the Club has witnessed the participation of leading organisations such as ADNOC, Bahri, Fujairah National Shipping, Hapag-Lloyd and Smit Lamnalco, among others.

The appointment of H.E. Eng. Hessa Al Malek, Advisor to the Minister for Maritime Transport, Affairs, the UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure will be a turning point for the Club and the industry as she will utilise her 20 plus years of experience to advise on various subjects, benefitting the sector.

Commenting on her appointment, H.E. Eng. Hessa Al Malek said, “It is truly a pleasure to be appointed as the regional ambassador of the Global Maritime Club. Through critical research, industry intelligence and highly targeted networking opportunities for its members, the club has helped to elevate the marine sector throughout the years. It’s humbling to be a member of such a distinguished entity. Through my expertise, I aim to carry forward the Club’s mission of promoting the growth of the sector that has stood the test of time despite the pandemic. The UAE especially has showcased resilience. Our readiness to quickly respond and adapt to the challenges of the new world helped us significantly reduce the impact on the economic gains in the industry. Apart from this, one of my primary goals is to make the regional maritime industry accessible for women and also support the next generation of professionals.”

“In addition, I want to draw the attention of the industry to the plight of seafarers, who are the lifelines of the global maritime industry. Although the IMO, the UN, the International Labor Organisation, and governments around the globe are making concerted efforts, as part of the industry, the onus is on us to ensure the well-being of the community of 1.6 million seafarers, without whom the industry would cease to function,” H.E. Al Malek added.

A premier alliance

Emma Howell, Director of Digital and Customer Development – Maritime, Informa Markets stated, “Having an illustrious personality like H.E. Eng. Hessa Al Malek as the first Ambassador of a premier Club like this is a major boost for us and the industry. With her rich expertise, knowledge and in-depth understanding of the maritime industry, in addition of her rewarded certifications, I believe she is the ideal candidate for this position, and we are confident that she will achieve our objective of providing members with essential market knowledge also prompting them to initiate invaluable ideas through ground-breaking research initiatives.”

As a private membership club, the specially invited members of the Global Maritime Club can connect through strategic networking opportunities and closed-door leadership roundtables. These insightful discussions will help industry leaders make informed business decisions that will enhance maritime operations and ensure an efficient supply chain.

The Club empowers members to make sound business decisions with access to critical market intelligence while sharing their indispensable insight on topics of concern like crewing, ports and containers, sustainability, the use of technology and more. The ultimate goal is to find feasible solutions, stimulate ingenious ideas and proactively drive positive economic growth for their respective regions and the global industry.