Adil Banihammad, CEO, SAFEEN • Interview
SAFEEN has played a crucial role in helping Abu Dhabi Ports to deliver world-class marine services during COVID-19.
How has SAFEEN managed to maintain its momentum during these unprecedented times? How do you assess the SAFEEN’s role in supporting the sector’s momentum?
Over the course of the global crisis, SAFEEN has continued to deliver world-class marine services that have enabled Abu Dhabi Ports to support national efforts in combating the spread of COVID-19, retaining and attract new business. As part of our efforts to manage the impact of the pandemic, we have employed several measures to ensure the safety of personnel and incoming ship crews including temperature screening checkpoints for arriving vessels, thermal scanning of sailors, as well as ongoing disinfection and sterilization exercises across all our maritime facilities. We have also stepped up our support for our seafarers, whose hard work and dedication are ensuring that vital supply lines of imported goods remain open. In addition to assisting the repatriation of seafarers who are being relieved by incoming crews, sailors who are awaiting rotation are provided regular food and supply deliveries, as well as transportation to the city and safe access to recreational facilities in port.
How has the greater integration of technology led to increased demand for SAFEEN’s services in response to growing regional and global trade?
One arena that we have focused a lot has been with the development of autonomous technology. I am proud to say that earlier last year, we announced the start of a collaboration with Robert Allan Ltd, a globally renowned designer of commercial vessels, to develop the world’s first fully unmanned autonomous marine tugs. Working closely with Canada’s oldest privately-owned Naval Architectural and Marine Engineering firm, we are set to collaborate on the research and development of remotely controlled marine tugs that are unmanned and capable of operating with a very high degree of autonomy. Upon completion, the tugs will join our already sizeable fleet of world-class service vessels. In addition, SAFEEN has also recently introduced the practice of remote pilotage as an innovative tool designed to keep global trade moving while protecting the health and safety of our marine pilots. Through the use of remote pilotage, our pilots now have an option to guide incoming vessels to our facilities without the need to board them, which is especially important should there be confirmed cases of COVID-19 on-board. The procedure is not a replacement for regular pilotage; rather, it is used on a case-by-case basis when safety protocols have been secured.
What are SAFEEN’s unique contributions to Abu Dhabi Ports and its strategy moving forward?
As the marine service arm of Abu Dhabi Ports, our primary role is to support its various business units in meeting the shipping and logistical needs of their customers. To continue excelling in this endeavor, we are working diligently to expand not only the size of our service fleet, but we are also adding new capabilities to serve customers in untapped segments. In just the past six months alone, we have inducted a post-Panamax bulk carrier into our fleet currently being converted into a transshipment vessel. We have also launched a new feeder services company called SAFEEN Feeders. Through the latter, we are responding to market needs by boosting feeder connectivity between Abu Dhabi, the wider Gulf and the Indian Subcontinent. The new service will greatly benefit our mainliner customers from the cost and efficiency perspective, drive greater utilization of the region’s secondary ports, and serve the nation as a national feeder carrier. Furthermore, we are in the process of greatly expanding our onshore and offshore service capabilities that would enable us to target new business within the region’s natural resource sector.
What are your strategic priorities for SAFEEN, and what insights will you and the maritime industry take from this once-in-a-generation event?
While our current efforts are dedicated to combating the challenges presented by the global pandemic, we are still very much focused on our long-term goals, which remain unchanged despite any short or medium-term disruptions. Our objective is to deliver the most efficient, comprehensive, and cost competitive services to our customers by aggressively growing our capabilities and service portfolio, while ensuring that we continue to drive value for our stakeholders and our Emirate.