Deputy Chairman of the Maritime Transport Authority: The Saudi fleet includes 10 of the world's largest carriers.
Farid Al-Qahtani, Deputy Chairman of the General Authority forMaritime Transport, revealed on the sidelines of the conference "SustainableMarine Development Towards 2030 and Beyond," which concluded on Thursday,new figures in Saudi Arabia's maritime transport industry; nearly 55 new shipswere registered under the Saudi flag until the end of 2019, to be added to thehuge Saudi fleet of 368 ships, explaining that Saudi Arabia owns about 10 ofthe largest ships in the world recently registered.
Al-Qahtani said that Saudi Arabia is a member of 40 internationalconventions issued by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), thelast three of which was signed in 2019.
Al-Qahtani considered signing these agreements is of greatimportance, as they positively reflect on Saudi Arabia's maritime transport industry,which indicates its commitment with the other IMO's member states to what theorganization issues, pointing out that it enhances the safety of vessels flyingunder the Saudi flag and contributes to protecting the Kingdom's waters andbeaches from pollution, raising the efficiency of workers on board ships andfacilitating the movement of navigation to significantly support the nationaleconomy.
Al-Qahtani also explained that a national strategy has been adoptedbetween the Authority and national partners to implement international maritimeconventions and others.
On the academic side of the maritime transport industry, Al-Qahtani pointed out that two colleges for maritime studies have been accredited, which will positively reflect on contributing to fill the shortage in the qualified marine cadres to work in this vital sector, revealing that for the first time this year, Saudi Arabia began issuing the Marine Competence Certificate (COC) through the General Authority for Transport, pointing out that the highest scientific and practical standards are applied to grant this certificate in accordance with the STCW training and business agreement.
Speaking about the efforts exerted to preserve the marineenvironment, Al-Qahtani stressed the continuation of supporting local,international and regional trends aimed at protecting the environment of theseas and oceans and reducing the sources of marine pollution, pointing out thatthe National Transformation Program, which aims to achieve the Kingdom'sambitious Vision 2030, gives environmental protection, conservation of naturalresources and sustainable development high priority.
Al-Qahtani explained that as a result of these efforts and theapplication of the highest international standards to protect against marinepollution, Saudi Arabia's shores are free of marine pollution, although 13% ofthe global ship traffic passes along them, especially in the Red Sea though thepassage of ships and tankers is one of the most marine pollutants .
Al-Qahtani explained that Saudi Arabia has achieved qualitativeleaps in the field of maritime transport in the last two years in terms ofregistering ships and their tonnage; the tonnage between 2017 and 2018 has morethan doubled to reach 8 million tons, expecting that these jumps to reach about9 million tons until the end of the year.
Al-Qahtani stressed that modern and new ports that can receiveships and tankers of all types and sizes is one of the most important pillarsthat boosts the strength of Saudi Arabia's maritime transport industry, inaddition to Saudi Arabia's huge fleet. These ports adopt the latest electronicprocedures to enhance their competitiveness in line with the pillars of SaudiVision 2030 to make the Kingdom a global logistics platform and a major centerof trade. These ports also apply the highest standards of maritime safety tothe extent that accidents recorded for vessels flying under the Saudi flag arenegligible, and have recorded zero maritime accidents in the territorial watersthis year.
