Riyadh, September 04, 2023, The Sustainable Maritime Industry Conference (SMIC) was officially opened today in Jeddah by Eng. Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser, Minister of Transport and Logistics and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Transport Authority. He emphasized the support and care that the sector receives from the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, as well as the Kingdom's ambitious goal of achieving sustainable development as stated in Vision 2030. Kitack Lim, the secretary general of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), senior government officials, and top business executives from 170 nations are all present at the meeting. Al-Jasser brought up Saudi Arabia's accomplishments in the marine sector and logistical operations during his introductory remarks, including its 17-place improvement in the Logistics Performance Index (LPI) and its current ranking of 16th among the 100 largest ports in the world in terms of container handling.
Al-Jasser also reported an increase of 80% in the number of ships flying the Saudi flag. The Kingdom's place at the top of the region's nations in this regard is cemented by this impressive expansion.
He emphasized that the ambitious Saudi marine sector strategy, which was formed from the National Strategy for Transport and Logistics, intends to accelerate the sector's development and implement programs that take advantage of the Kingdom's natural and environmental resources to provide beneficial opportunities. The ultimate objective, according to him, is to increase the maritime industry's contribution to the Saudi economy to a startling four times what it is now.
By 2030, the Kingdom will be seventh in the world among nations that handle the most containers, according to Al-Jasser, a feat that is consistent with the objectives of the National Strategy for Transport and Logistics Services.
The Transport General Authority, ABS, and Zamil Marine Company signed a tripartite agreement at the conference to study the creation of thorough regulations, technical standards, and scientific operational practices for the construction, operation, and maintenance of autonomous vessels. By establishing rules, technological standards, and operating procedures for autonomous vessels, the agreement seeks to improve the maritime industry's efficiency, foster innovation, and raise security and safety standards. The agreement is intended to make it easier to safely and effectively integrate autonomous ships into the maritime system through mutual support and cooperation.
The Saudi Logistics Academy (SLA) and Escola Europea de Short Sea Shipping signed an agreement during the conference to increase their cooperation in the development of training and education in the logistics industry on a worldwide scale. This collaboration will be carried out by setting up a virtual port laboratory in Jeddah, offering training programs in various logistics-related areas, putting training-of-trainers programs into action, and creating educational resources. The objective is to increase collaboration in research and development while also raising the standard of human resources in the Saudi logistics industry.
The International Maritime Organization (IMO), the Transport General Authority, and Bahri Company have partnered once again to assist the Next Wave Seafarers (NWS) project. By supporting the provision of hands-on training for maritime students from island countries and less developed countries on board the ships of the Saudi Navy, the program seeks to increase the effectiveness of seafarers globally.
During the ceremony, TGA officially launched a new collaboration with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) on three critical environmental projects. These initiatives, known as GLoFouling, GLoLitter, and GLoNoise, seek to protect the environment and marine life while lowering pollution and the threat of extinction for marine species. TGA and IMO are collaborating to show their dedication to attaining shared objectives and protecting the planet's delicate ecosystem.
The Kingdom has declared its support for the International Maritime Law Institute (IMLI), in addition to its initiatives to advance sustainability. TGA is laying the groundwork for a strong marine economy that will benefit the entire region by investing in maritime education and training. The Azdeh Maritime Training Institute has received final accreditation as part of this initiative, while the Saudi Maritime Training Center (SMTC) has received initial accreditation. These organizations are essential to the advancement of the subsequent generation of marine experts and the expansion of the sector as a whole.
Transport ministers and officials from several nations attended the conference. These included the ministers of transportation for Qatar, Jassim Al-Sulaiti, Bahrain, Mohammed Al-Kaabi, Abdullah Ahmed Jama of Somalia, Kwaku Ofori Asiamah of Ghana, Razzaq Muhaibas Ajimi of Iraq, Abdul Salam Saleh Hamid of Yemen, and Hassan Mohamed Ibrahim of Djibouti, as well as the equipment and infrastructure minister.
