Membership of maritime group ‘will aid security’
UAE is the only Arab nation vying for a seat on international body
The UAE’s bid for a seat in a select decision-making body of the International Maritime Organisation will help the country to take strategic security decisions if successful.
Abdullah Al Nuaimi, Minister of Infrastructure Development and chairman of the board of directors of the Federal Transport Authority, yesterday outlined the steps the country was taking to secure a seat competing against 12 other nations for a voice in a global authority that sets standards for maritime security.
“We are the only Arab country among the 12 countries seeking 10 seats. Being a member of the IMO’s executive council we will be well placed and will have firsthand information that we can use for our security,” Mr Al Nuaimi said.
“It will also give us early knowledge of IMO regulations to help us take future decisions to build infrastructure not only for the maritime industry, but for commerce and industry of the UAE.”
Voting will take place during the IMO general assembly between November 24 and December 5 in London.
The other countries in the fray include Germany, Sweden, Netherlands, Brazil, Argentina, France and Australia.
The IMO, an agency of the United Nations, also issues guidance to protect seafarers and has worked with industry and governments to create guidelines to prevent piracy – particularly off the coast of Somalia.
After the hijacking of the tanker Aris 13 off Somalia in March, the first major hijacking in the region since 2012, IMO secretary general Kitack Lim urged the industry to follow IMO guidance to avoid piracy attacks.
“The reality is that piracy off the coast of Somalia has not been eradicated and the underlying conditions have not changed,” he said at the time.
“Merchant shipping should continue to take protective measures against possible piracy attacks in the Gulf of Aden and the western Indian Ocean through diligent application of IMO guidance.”
The UAE’s proximity to key sea routes such as the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el Mandab make maritime security a crucial issue, particularly with ships leaving the country’s shores that have been targeted by Somali pirates and Houthi attacks on merchant vessels, a development of the Yemen conflict.
Mr Al Nuaimi said while the country has been a member of the IMO since 1981, it has not been able to take part in the decision-making process.
“When you have the ability of being part of making legislation you become aware that you can protect not only the borders,” he said.
“We will have first-hand information to build for the future of the maritime industry because the executive office is the place where regulations and decisions are made.”
The authority has also been dealing with a rising number of ships abandoned off the country’s shores by owners affected by the drop in oil prices.
The FDA said last month it was working with consular and aid workers to deal with more than a dozen ships off the country’s coast and warned ship owners and agents against abandoning crews.
Mr Al Nuaimi said the authority would continue to work to provide relief to the seafarers. “We are doing what we can because don’t want to see people suffering.”
The IMO promotes co-operation between governments in prevention and control of marine pollution from ships.
A seat on the executive council will give the country a head start on regulations that need to be framed and also help influence decisions that could affect the region.
“Abiding by IMO regulations is compulsory as of 2016, prior to that it was optional.”