May 10, 2016. Dubai, United Arab Emirates: Dubai Maritime City Authority (DMCA) will underline Dubai's pioneering experience in the transition to a leading global maritime hub during its participation in the upcoming Posidonia 2016 to be held in Athens, Greece from June 6 to 10, 2016. DMCA will also highlight the achievements of the emirate’s smart transformation initiatives as well as its efforts to increase the local maritime community’s competitiveness. It will specifically focus on its Maritime Sector Strategy (MSS), the driving force behind Dubai’s strategies to promote, develop, and regulate the maritime sector to make the emirate one of the world’s best maritime capitals by 2020.

Ship owners and pioneers of the maritime sector in Greece and the rest of the world will recognize the Dubai’s achievement after its inclusion in the top 10 global ranking in terms of maritime competitiveness and attractiveness released by Menon Business Economics Group in Norway. The participants will also examine Dubai’s world-class maritime clustering. The emirate was ranked fourth out of the five largest port operators in the world by headquarters; sixth in terms of leading centres for port and logistics services as well as site of world-class specialized logistics services; 10th in the world in relation to both the size of ship owners’ fleets and size of fleets managed from the city.

The local maritime competitiveness will also be the highlight of DMCA’s participation in Posidonia 2016, in addition to Dubai’s strategic location between East and West, advanced legal and legislative systems and infrastructure, investment-friendly environment, world-class facilities, maritime and logistics services, modern ports, and integrated maritime safety system. These components are supported by the government’s strategy promoting innovation, creativity and excellence.

Theodore Vokos, the Chief Executive of Posidonia 2016, welcomed DMCA’s participation in the upcoming event, adding that it successfully represented Dubai and the UAE in the previous editions during which it presented the local maritime sector’s prominent achievements. The emirate has emerged as one of the world’s most comprehensive and competitive maritime centers.  He added: “DMCA’s presence in our upcoming event will enable investors, ship owners and stakeholders from Greece and the rest of the world to gain a deeper understanding of Dubai’s strengths, investment opportunities, and promising prospects. Dubai is considered an important gateway to maritime trade among Asian, European and MENA markets.”

DMCA is scheduled to unveil its numerous leading initiatives such as Dubai Maritime Agenda, Maritime Creativity Lab, Maritime Advisory Council, Dubai Maritime Training Center, Smart Marine Services Platform, and Dubai Maritime Intelligence. All these represent a fundamental pillar to strengthen the confidence of regional and international investors in the local maritime environment as well as improve the sector’s performance, safety, efficiency, and competitiveness.

Amer Ali, Executive Director, DMCA, said: “Posidonia 2016 and other global maritime events serve as ideal platforms to exchange and transfer knowledge, experiences, and best practices with international decision makers and stakeholders. He pointed out that such events open up wider prospects for constructive cooperation to ensure a bright future for the maritime industry, a vital contributor to the global economy.” 

Ali added: “We are delighted to participate again in Posidonia and be given an opportunity to present before the international maritime community our remarkable progress in accordance with MSS’ goals. MSS is aligned with the vision of our wise leadership in building a secure, diverse, and comprehensive maritime sector, with solid foundation for innovation, creativity, excellence, human investment, and environmental security. We look forward to discussing optimal ways to maximize Dubai’s competitive advantages, including its strategic location, advanced infrastructure, tax exemptions, modern maritime legislation, and robust import and export sectors.”

Posidonia Exhibition, a biennial event, is one of the leading maritime sector events in the world, providing a platform for communication among international decision makers, government officials, experts, ship owners, investors, and representatives of major shipping companies.