DMCA holds Maritime Innovation Workshop on sidelines of UAE Innovation Week

November 23, 2015. Dubai, United Arab Emirates: The Dubai Maritime City Authority (DMCA) held a ‘Maritime Innovation Workshop’ today (Monday, November 23, 2015) at the InterContinental Hotel Dubai - Festival City with the wide participation of governmental entities and 35 private sector representatives specializing in various maritime activities. The workshop, which came up with 30 innovative programs, was held in support of UAE Innovation Week as an embodiment of the vision of President H.H. Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s declaration of 2015 as the ‘Year of Innovation.’ The Innovation Week is an initiative launched by H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai.

H.E. Sultan Bin Sulayem, Chairman of Dubai Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation and President of Dubai Maritime City Authority (DMCA), said that the ‘Maritime Innovation Workshop’ embodies the productive partnership between the public and private sectors. He added that it highlights the significance of cooperatively working on innovative ways to fulfil the aspiration of becoming one of the most competitive maritime capitals by 2020 according to the vision of H.H Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

H.E. Bin Sulayem said: “The encouragement of innovation is embedded among our strategic priorities, arising from our belief in the importance of establishing solid foundations for ensuring a secure, sustainable and integrated maritime sector in line with the objectives of Dubai's Maritime Vision 2030. The Dubai Maritime Innovation Workshop was launched as an important addition to our efforts to inspire innovative ideas and increase capabilities to promote the good performance, safety, efficiency and competitiveness of the local maritime sector based on the highest innovative standards.”

The ‘Maritime Innovation Workshop’ served as an ideal platform for encouraging new innovative ideas to promote the competitiveness of the local maritime cluster’s key components, as well as enhancing aspects relevant to ports, docks and maritime tourism which can boost ongoing efforts to establish a safe and sustainable maritime sector in Dubai.

The workshop was attended by 35 of the world's biggest maritime companies, maritime sector experts, representatives of the Dubai Executive Council, and governmental entities concerned with maritime activities, including the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority, Dubai Municipality, Dubai Statistics Center, The Supreme Legislation Committee, Dubai Customs, Trakhees, and the Department of Economic Development, in addition to the valuable participation of the Federal Transport Authority – Land & Maritime. DMCA also announced the launching of the ‘Dubai Maritime Innovation Award’ which was lauded by public and private sector participants. The Authority will announce later the award details that will take place with its first edition during the 2016 Dubai Maritime Summit.

H.E. Bin Sulayem expressed his satisfaction with the workshop, which successfully drew wide participation from the public and private sectors. He reaffirmed the commitment to finding a joint framework for promoting maritime cluster components, with a particular focus on creating new innovative strategies to enhance the maritime tourism and develop the capabilities of ports which are important for the growth of the local maritime sector.

H.E. Bin Sulayem concluded: “The launching of the ‘Dubai Maritime Innovation Award’ is a new step towards honoring promising creative capabilities and supporting talented individuals who are able to uplift the status of Dubai globally.”

The ‘Dubai Maritime Innovation workshop’ facilitated extensive discussions between its participants. The event was carried out through specialized group works divided according to main areas such as ports, docks, maritime tourism, and the maritime and governmental sectors. Attendees commended the efforts exerted by DMCA in organizing such high-quality initiatives that drive the National Strategy for Innovation’s goal of making the UAE one of the world’s most innovative countries.