The UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure (MoEI) has launched a strategic partnership with Marihub, a leading eCommerce service provider for commercial ships and maritime companies, to develop value-added services for the maritime sector and the UAE’s ports.
The move, which coincides with the ‘UAE Innovates’ initiative, is part of the Ministry’s endeavor to enhance the competitiveness of the UAE’s maritime sector and consolidate its position as one of the best maritime hubs in the world.
The partnership aims to explore opportunities to enhance the maritime sector through digital tools and solutions, especially after the significant shift in the industry witnessed in terms of adopting digital solutions after the COVID-19 pandemic.
HE Eng. Hassan Mohammed Al Mansouri Under-Secretary Infrastructure & Transport Affairs UAE MoEI
“The UAE leads numerous global competitiveness indicators in the maritime sector. It ranks 3rd globally in the Bunker Supply Index, 5th as a key competitive maritime hub and 12th in the transport lines index. This is a result of the competitive business environment the UAE provides, which attracts major international maritime companies and makes the country’s ports a preferred destination for international shipping lines. However, we will not rest on our laurels; we want to occupy the top position in all international maritime indicators. We look forward to innovations and digital platforms to contribute to enhancing the UAE’s position and improving its global ranking.”
Mr. Al Mansouri pointed out that this partnership complements several initiatives that seek to increase the contribution of the maritime sector to the UAE’s GPA, which is currently estimated at $25 billion annually. The aim is to make the UAE’s blue economy a major pillar of its national economy.
More than 27,000 maritime companies work in the UAE. Last year, over 25,000 commercial ships were called the UAE’s ports. The country has over 20 leading international seaports and some of the largest oil export ports in the world. The UAE ranks 7th globally in the volume of container handling.
Mr. Karim El-Najjar, Director of Marihub, said that “Our partnership with the UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure confirms that the Ministry is the top sponsor of creativity and innovative ideas in the maritime industry. This supports the UAE’s endeavors to adopt digitization and modern technologies to add value to the maritime industry and provide the best tools to improve the efficiency of businesses and increase their profitability. Since the inception of Marihub, we have seen the great impact digital solutions can achieve by saving time and operational costs.”
This partnership is complemented by many other quality projects and initiatives the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure has already launched. These include the UAE Maritime Cluster initiative and the Maritime Network, which aims to build a global network of professionals and experts to enhance the competitiveness of the UAE’s maritime sector and market it globally, making use of the strong presence of international maritime companies in the UAE.
