Original news was published on 03 June 2015

Dubai has launched an ambitious initiative to engage more closely with maritime businesses as it looks to consolidate its position as one of the world’s foremost shipping centers. The newly created Maritime Advisory Council (MAC), led by the Dubai Maritime City Authority, will now foster collaboration and coordination between industry stakeholders from both the private and public sectors.

The MAC push supports both the Dubai Strategic Plan 2021, which aims to build a truly integrated and sustainable maritime economy, and Dubai Maritime Vision 2030, a plan conceived to strengthen the emirate’s unique competitive advantages. A "who’s who" of major private businesses operating out of Dubai have already signed up as members.

“This initiative will nurture closer collaboration and mutual understanding between all the key maritime industry stakeholders in Dubai,” Amer Ali, Executive Director, DMCA, said. “By engaging with businesses on this level Dubai can achieve buy-in from industry to support its ambitious, strategic maritime objectives, while we also build our own understanding of exactly what our private partners want from a global shipping hub.

With its business friendly environment, tax-free advantages, supportive regulations and world-class infrastructure, Dubai is proving a major pull for international maritime firms. Over the last two years alone some 75,000 new job opportunities have been created in the sector, while maritime now contributes some 4.6 percent of Dubai’s total GDP (equivalent to 14.4 billion AED).

The Maritime Advisory Council is composed of key figures from prominent businesses operating in the sector. The members include DP World, Dry Docks World, Emirates Classification Society TASNEEF, DIFC Courts, Clarksons, Tufton Oceanic, Gulf Energy Maritime (GEM), United Arab Shipping Company (UASC), Maersk Line, Emarat Maritime, Fichte and Co., Partner Ince and Co., Global Marketing Systems (GMS), and Dubai Trading Agency (DTA).

Further members include senior partners or executives from Clyde & Co., Emirates National Oil Company (ENOC), Topaz Energy and Marine Engineering, Al Tamimi & Company, National Association of Freight and Logistics (NAFAL), UAE National Ship Suppliers Association (UNSSA), Hadef & Partners, Mubarak Marine, Baker & McKenzie Habib Al Mulla, Holman Fenwick Willan (HFW), Wilhelmsen Ships Service, DHL Express, Rais Hassan Saadi, and Aramex 3PL.

*NEWS SOURCE