DMCA showcases Dubai's competitiveness at SMM 2018 in Germany

05 September 2018. Dubai, UAE: The Dubai Maritime City Authority (DMCA) demonstrated the pioneering experience of Dubai and the competitive strengths of the local maritime community during its participation at the Maritime Shipbuilding, Machinery and Marine Technology (SMM) Exhibition, one of the largest technology and marine equipment exhibitions in Hamburg, Germany. Dubai was one of the world's top five in the International Shipping Centre Development Index (ISCD), making it the first Arab city to achieve this position in the maritime sector. The DMCA participated alongside the Dubai Chamber, the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC), and government and private maritime entities.

H.E. Ali Abdulla Al Ahmad, UAE Ambassador to Germany, visited the UAE pavilion during which he commended to ongoing efforts to raise Dubai’s global competitiveness and enhance its attractiveness. He was welcomed by Amer Ali, Executive Director of DMCA; H.E. Hisham Abdullah Al Shirawi, the Dubai Chamber’s 2nd Vice Chairman; and Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman of DMCC.

The exhibition provided the DMCA a platform to showcase its most ambitious initiatives designed to catapult Dubai into the ranks of the world’s best, including Singapore, Hamburg, Oslo, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Copenhagen, Athens and London. The DMCA focused on key initiatives aimed at building a maritime sector based on innovation, knowledge and technology in line with the goal of Dubai Plan 2021 to build a smart and sustainable city.   

The Dubai Maritime Virtual Cluster (DMVC), which led the efforts to establish a smart maritime industry, seeks to build an integrated framework, implement the best global maritime practices, facilitate access to world-class maritime services to enrich investors’ confidence in Dubai and increase the local sector’s economic contributions.

H.E. Al Shirawi said: “Dubai’s participation in the exhibition, one of the largest and most important exhibitions in the maritime industries, reflects the emirate’s importance and status as s an international center for maritime transport and shipping thanks to its strategic location, expertise, competencies, and other advantages.

Citing Dubai’s role in the global trade system, H.E. Al Shirawi said The UAE's USD$ 54 billion maritime sector contributes about 5 per cent to  the local economy and is expected to increase in the coming years.

Amer Ali, Executive Director of DMCA, said: "Our participation in SMM 2018 is part of our continuous efforts to elevate Dubai and the UAE’s positions on the international stage. It came on the heels of Dubai’s recent achievement. The emirate was named one of the top five shipping centers in the world, citing the government’s continued support, distinguished services, advanced infrastructure, global maritime and logistics capabilities, innovative free zones, competitive environment, and robust business and investment activities.”

Ali added: "We are very proud to have partnered with Dubai Chamber as part of the national delegation representing the UAE. Our aim was to make Dubai one of the most competitive maritime centers in the world. We appreciate the presence of H. E. Ali Abdullah Al Ahmad, Ambassador of the UAE, and we are confident of the positive outcomes of our participation in the event. We reaffirm our commitment to strengthen communication channels, explore new investment horizons, access to the latest maritime innovations and emerging trends, and introduce innovative initiatives. These are the cornerstones for building a secure, integrated and sustainable maritime sector that will drive the UAE’s ambitious economic diversification process."

Dubai has recently been named as one of the top five in the International Shipping Centre Development Index (ISCD), to become the first Arab city to achieve this top international recognition in the maritime sector, according to a recent report by Baltic Exchange, and Xinhua News Agency, a subsidiary of the China Economic Information Service (CEIS) based in London.