DUBAI — Under the patronage of Dr. Abdullah Bin Mohammed Balheif Al Nuaimi, Minister of Infrastructure Development and Chairman of the Federal Transport Authority for Land and Maritime, the 3rd Maritime Conference & Expo (MARACAD 2017) will be held at the Dubai International Trade Centre on Oct. 30-31, 2017. MARACAD will be held during the peak period supporting the UAE's international campaign for its nomination for the membership of the Executive Council of the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

In addition to the participation of the majority of the region’s leading maritime companies and organizations, the conference will be attended by a high-level delegation from IMO headed by Dr. Dorota Lost-Sieminska, Head of Legal Affairs Office at IMO. This underlines MARACAD’s position as an internationally-recognized forum that receives the attention of the international maritime organizations, companies, think-tanks and centeres for strategic studies.

Dr. Al Nuaimi said "the Federal Transport Authority for Land and Maritime is the strategic partner of MARACAD Conference & Expo as it supports our strategic objectives in terms of highlighting the UAE’s unique assets in infrastructure and maritime investments. We highly value the organizers for hosting a high-level delegation from IMO. This is especially important to closely see the development of our maritime system and realize why the UAE is interested in joining the IMO Executive Office. The UAE is an international maritime hub and has a wide range of organizations and companies that want to reach out to international maritime decision-makers.”

"I really cherish Cham Events team, the organizers of MARACAD, who have clearly demonstrated their professional expertise and high level of strategic relations. This makes this event one of the key strategic events in the region's maritime sector, as the shipping sector witnessed great progress on a global level. Today, the shipping sector forms two thirds of the maritime transportation in the Gulf region, this proves UAE’s capabilities and leading position as one of the largest big players in the maritime sector," added Al Nuaimi.

An international platform for decision makers and maritime leaders

Capt. Hussam Suyyagh, Conference Director, said “we are proud that the 3rd Maritime Conference & Expo “MARACAD 2017” will witness and encourage the UAE’s membership at IMO Executive Office that will further diversify the maritime sector and enrich the mechanisms of the maritime decision-making. Today, we have a new player in the international maritime arena, and certainly will add value to IMO work mechanism. Therefore, we aimed at this year’s conference & Expo to create a great interactive platform that will bring together the leaders of the private and public maritime industry, the prestigious maritime academies, maritime experts, non-governmental organizations, marine technology developers, shipping companies, maritime law firms, ship owners and port operators."

Dr. Alia Al Hussein, and General Manager of the conference, said "since the conference was launched, we have been listening to participants to get their feedback and ideas for developing the conference, improving its activities, and maximizing the benefits for both participants and sponsors. The first step we have done was to expand the conference’s topics to include all areas of the maritime sector and not only the academic field. We also focus on introducing various white papers that cover the latest smart technologies in the maritime sector and their impact on the operational and commercial activities of maritime companies. "

"However, the most important value that we provide to the strategic sponsors and participants is launching the “Maritime Business Leaders Forum” which transforms the conference into a networking platform for trade relations and sharing opportunities among decision makers and maritime entrepreneurs. The impact of the conference will extend throughout the year, and MARACAD will become more like an annual maritime flagship event that helps partners expand their client bases and enhance their marketing

In addition to the significant participation of the leading maritime entities in the region, the conference will be greatly supported by a high level delegation from the Saudi Ports Authority, Emirates Classification Society (TASNEEF), Abu Dhabi Ports, DP World-UAE, Emirates Maritime Arbitration Center and The Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport due to the event’s prominent role in providing the maritime sector with qualified professional caliber and tackling the latest technological innovation in the industry.