Global interest growing for UAE’s maritime sector

The UAE’s growing influence as an import and export hub and the rising popularity of its east coast with container ship operators is generating greater global interest in the regional maritime industry.
And anchoring the regional maritime industry amid robust logistics and shipping sectors and rising container traffic is the upcoming event for the commercial, government and military maritime industry, Gulf Maritime 2013.
The ninth Gulf Maritime exhibition and Mastech conference will be organised at Expo Centre Sharjah from November 25 to 27.
“The maritime industry is propelling the local economy to greater heights... the sustained growth of the sector has helped the country in improving its competitiveness and standing as a premier trade and logistics hub at the regional and international levels,” said Saif Mohammed Al Midfa, director-general of Expo Centre Sharjah.
Increasing trade activity has already manifested in the form of more shipping and container traffic, with Sharjah’s Gulftainer reporting a 24 per cent increase in trade volume in 2012 compared to 2011.
Gulftainer’s Sharjah ports saw the greatest volumes throughout the year, with Khor Fakkan Container Terminal seeing growth of 28 per cent over its 2011 figures with a throughput of over 3.3 million TEU. The company has seen consistent growth over the years, with trade volumes more than tripling in the past decade.
As in the past show, Mastech naval architecture and shipbuilding conference will be held alongside Gulf Maritime 2013. It is for the second consecutive year that Mast, an association of naval architects, and Expo Centre Sharjah have entered into an agreement to organise Mastech 2013 during Gulf Maritime.
And, with a few more months to go for the event, Mastech has already seen the confirmation of 12 papers on major topics, with the final session set to focus on energy efficiency that will have vessel owners, equipment suppliers and other stakeholders on the panel. The conference will be held on November 25 and 26, said Shaji P. J., president of Mast.
“Together, the Gulf Maritime trade fair and Mastech technical conference have generated so much interest in the market that we have on board Sharjah Ports Authority as Hamriyah Free Zone Authority as principal sponsors for the exhibition and American Bureau of Shipping and Technomak as gold sponsors for the conference,” said Ashik Subahani, managing director of Great Waters Maritime and event convener of Mastech 2013.
Source: Khaleej Times