The UAE has secured membership in the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Council under Category B for the fifth consecutive term. This achievement underscores the UAE’s rightful place among elected states and highlights its influential role in shaping the future of maritime transport both regionally and globally.
This success reflects the cumulative results of the UAE’s dedicated efforts in recent years to develop an integrated maritime sector founded on advanced legislative frameworks, comprehensive digitalisation of services, enhanced ship safety, and robust support for international emissions-reduction initiatives. Collectively, these efforts have strengthened the UAE’s position as a key contributor to improving the efficiency and sustainability of global maritime transport chains.
The accomplishment also demonstrates the growing international confidence in the UAE’s maritime ecosystem, which is distinguished by world-class infrastructure, ports with leading operational capabilities, advanced logistics services, and a flexible regulatory environment that fosters growth, competitiveness, and innovation in maritime trade.
On this occasion, Suhail Mohamed Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, extended his heartfelt congratulations to the UAE’s leadership, emphasizing that the visionary guidance and continuous support of the leadership have laid the foundation for an advanced maritime sector—now a vital pillar of both the national economy and the global trade system.
Al Mazrouei said, “Today, the UAE is leading the maritime sector both regionally and globally through an advanced legislative framework and forward-looking policies that contribute to enhancing the security and sustainability of the seas and strengthening the sector’s readiness for future challenges. Thanks to the wise leadership’s vision, the country has established a sophisticated maritime foundation that stands as a global model in legislative modernization, technological innovation, port management, and navigational safety.”
He added, “The UAE’s election to the IMO Council under Category B for the fifth consecutive time—and with the highest number of votes—represents clear international recognition of the nation’s pioneering role in shaping the future of global maritime transport. It also reflects the international community’s confidence in the UAE’s ability to advance a legislative and regulatory ecosystem that supports a more efficient, flexible, and sustainable maritime sector.”
He explained that since the UAE joined IMO in 1980, it has established an active presence in the development of international maritime legislation. These efforts were crowned with the UAE’s election to the IMO Council in 2017, where over the past five terms it has contributed significantly to advancing the global maritime agenda through constructive initiatives that supported enhanced maritime safety, carbon emissions reduction, marine environmental protection, and the development of navigation policies.
He emphasised that the renewal of the UAE’s membership places greater responsibility on the nation in the coming phase, enabling it to play an even more effective role in shaping the future policies of global maritime transport, promoting innovation and modern technologies, and supporting international efforts to achieve a maritime transport system that is safe, clean, resilient, and capable of responding to climate challenges and supporting global supply chains.
He concluded: “The United Arab Emirates will continue to work with its international partners and global maritime bodies to strengthen the competitiveness of the global maritime sector and support the transition toward a system that is more sustainable and innovative.”
(Inputs from WAM)
