In line with their shared vision to support the UAE’s maritime sector, the Dubai Maritime City Authority  and the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport, Sharjah Branch , one of the specialised organisations of the League of Arab States, and a member of the Association of Arab Universities and the International Association of Universities, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding  to cooperate in education, training and research studies in the maritime sector.

The MoU was signed by H.E. Sheikh Saeed bin Ahmed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum, Executive Director of Dubai Maritime City Authority, and H.E. Dr. Ismail Abdel Ghaffar Ismail Farag, President of the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport. Officials from DMCA and AASTS were present during the signing ceremony, which took place during the UAE Maritime Week 2021, where both sides are participating.

According to the MoU, the two sides will cooperate in different areas including recognising AASTS as an accredited body to provide training in maritime inspections and safety, maritime education and training to certify seafarers to operate vessels as per international conventions and treaties. They will make use of the Academy’s capabilities in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) to build a smart and advanced system of sensors that monitor all the indicators to get a comprehensive picture of the state of the marine environment in the UAE. This will support efforts to develop blue economy and environmental sustainability.

Enhancing the UAE’s global leading position in the maritime sector

Commenting on the signing the MoU, H.E. Sheikh Saeed bin Ahmed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum, Executive Director of Dubai Maritime City Authority, said, “At Dubai Maritime City Authority, we work in line with the vision and directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to improve the competitiveness, attractiveness and capacity of the maritime sector as well as enhance the global leading position of Dubai and the UAE. This is achieved according to a methodology based on developing regulations, legislatives and initiatives that support government efforts to create a vibrant and safe maritime sector in Dubai, as well as consolidate its position as an attractive environment for prominent international maritime companies in order to support the blue economy. To achieve these goals, we cooperate with public and private sector partners who share the same vision with us. We cooperate with the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport, as a knowledge partner in education, training and research and development in the maritime sector, given its extensive expertise in this area. As one of the most prominent maritime academic institutions in the region, it provides Arab economies with the best competencies in maritime scientific and academic research.”

He added, “Here comes our complementary part, which we call blue jobs, to prepare the largest possible number of Emirati professionals in the maritime sector to lead this vital sector and empower it as a key contributor to the economy, with a special focus on graduating women professionals. The maritime sector needs creative women’ capabilities as they will give new dimensions to professional performance, accelerating blue economy development.”

H.E. Dr. Ismail Abdel Ghaffar Ismail Farag, President of the Arab Academy for Science,Technology and Maritime Transport, said, “In line with our vision to prepare Emiratis to lead the UAE’s maritime sector, we cooperate with leading maritime organisations such as the Dubai Maritime City Authority. DMCA plays a significant role in enhancing Dubai’s global leadership in the maritime sector by keeping pace with the latest developments in maritime training and research and development in this key sector. We are pleased to sign the Memorandum of Understanding with Dubai Maritime City Authority. Our cooperation in training and research and development will provide the national maritime economy with competencies and capabilities that support investments in the maritime sector. This is in line with the role of AASTS as a house of expertise in education and training for maritime organisations in the Arab region. We have an extensive expertise in designing educational and training courses based on the needs of our partners, making use of the Academy’s advanced capabilities and specialised staff who graduated many leaders in the maritime sector across the Arab World according to the highest international standards.”

Developing the blue economy

Abdel Ghaffar added, “Recognising the importance of research and development as a starting point towards developing the blue economy, we have strategic partnerships with major academic and research institutions in the European Union, in addition to our national partnerships in the UAE. Through these partnerships, we seek to strengthen the maritime sector and prepare the largest number of qualified Emiratis in the maritime sector to lead this vital sector which is a major contributor to supporting the economy. This is achieved by developing more smart solutions and applications that consolidates our position as an incubator of innovation and digital economy.”

According to the MoU, DMCA and AASTS will cooperate in maritime education, training and studies in maritime safety, providing research studies in marine accidents and protecting the marine environment, in addition to providing training opportunities to train staff to use advanced technologies, especially artificial intelligence.