Dubai [UAE], December 9 — The UAE has strengthened its role in the global maritime system through a steady stream of initiatives, proposals and leadership at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in recent years. Those efforts have helped shape international maritime rules and reinforced the UAE’s reputation as a major shipping and maritime hub.
The country has won a seat on the IMO Council for five consecutive terms, becoming the first Arab state elected to a Category B seat. That milestone has been cited as evidence of international confidence in the UAE’s maritime leadership.
During its Council tenure, the UAE supported and helped secure adoption of a wide package of measures now part of the IMO framework. These include the IMO Maritime Capacity Development Strategy; the adoption of Arabic as a working language of the Assembly; consolidated amendments to the IMO Convention; standards and procedures for live broadcasting of Assembly sessions; updated Assembly Rules of Procedure; formal recognition of Eid Al-Fitr and Eid Al-Adha as official holidays; and calls for States to ratify the 2021 amendments to the Convention.
The UAE also played a central role in drafting and backing technical, legislative and regulatory initiatives such as the IMO Strategic Plan 2024–2029 and its implementation, the results-based budget for 2026–2027, the 2025 Port State Control standards, the 2025 HSSC System Guidelines, the Integrated IMO Number Scheme, GMDSS satellite communication requirements for navigation and safety, and the 2025 non-exhaustive list of obligations related to IMO instruments.
Hessa Al Malek, Advisor to the Minister for Maritime Transport Affairs at the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, said the UAE’s active engagement at the IMO underscores its position as a leading maritime hub and demonstrates how maritime diplomacy can promote sustainable development and enhance global economic competitiveness. She noted that successive Council terms reflect the UAE’s international standing and its contribution to developing global maritime legislation.
Mohammed Khamis Al Kaabi, the UAE Permanent Representative to the IMO, said the country’s work at the organization is driven by a vision of collaborative action, greater transparency, higher safety and security standards, and streamlined measures to facilitate international trade. He added that the UAE’s initiatives aim to support developing nations — particularly least developed countries and small island developing states — and to strengthen cooperation among Arab states in global maritime policymaking.
(Source: ANI/WAM)
