Tag: UAE

He also points out that the easiest way to counter piracy is to stop ransom The chief of Somalia's anti-piracy task force has thanked the UAE government for contributing to a programme that is helping the war-ravaged African country turn the tide in the battle against pirates.In an interview with Khaleej Times, Dr Muhyadin Ali Yosif said funds from the UAE have helped get the Somalia Maritime Security Forces (SMSF) off the ground."Funds from the previous year were managed to develop the capacity building of the Somali Maritime Security Forces," said Yosif. "This team aims to fight pirates from their home base within Somalia. And with their development through international fund-raising strategies, the force will have new systems and logistics that could easily lead them to the source of these pirates and capture them before launch."Yosif also highlighted the success of inland counter piracy. By detecting informants on land, the force is able to quickly apprehend pirates out at sea. "We've recently discovered that many undercover members, linked to the pirates, send information about the ships' destinations, timing, crew and cargo to the pirates. However, we are developing a new system that could possibly detect such information and the source, ...

To finance Somalia's navy and army A million-dollar grant from the Government will go to financing Somalia's navy and army.The UAE is the first to dedicate funds to Somalia armament, according to Faris Mohammed Al Mazroui, assistant to the Foreign Minster for Security and Military Affairs."This initiative started by the UAE is expected to be developed with other countries. Our objective is to go for US$5million and there are a lot of nations who showed interest," he said.The $5m will be used primarily to develop a national guard in Somalia, Mr Al Mazroui explained."We need to set up a national guard base, equip them and train them, as well as provide boats."With the initial million, he added, Somalia will be able to set up a coastguard through the United Nations."We will put the funds under the UN system, which will be worked out from now until September finding the right window and dimension to utilise it," he said.According to the latest figures, 185 seafarers and 13 ships are currently held captive by Somali pirates."These are sailors from around the world. Some of these ships belong to UAE-based companies, although none is UAE flagged," he said.The Somali deputy prime minister and ...

Dubai, 27-28 June 2012 The United Arab Emirates, in a partnership between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and global ports operator DP World, will convene a high-level, public-private counter piracy conference, in Dubai, in June 2012. This follows the highly successful inaugural conference held in April last year.The Conference is by invitation only and is a platform for the international and regional community to come together with the aim of:Continuing to build awareness of all aspects of the current threat, internationally and in the region, including issues related to land-based solutions;Furthering industry-government cooperation in the joint response, including extending support to seafarers who are suffering from maritime piracy on the frontline;Supporting capacity development among regional states, especially Somalia, so that they are able to present viable responses to the piracy threat;Build on the work and achievements of the London Conference in Somalia in galvanizing international attention to the issue.For more information, click here.Source: www.counterpiracy.ae

DP World flagship Jebel Ali Port has marked World Environment Day DP World's flagship Jebel Ali Port has marked World Environment Day by achieving two important international environment standards - ISO 14001-2004 for its Environmental Management System and OHSAS 18001:2007 for its Occupational Health and Safety Management System.DP World, UAE region received the certification from Lloyd's Register of Quality Assurance(LRQA).Achieving the two standards is part of DP World, UAE region's on-going environmental efforts. Jebel Ali Port has signed an agreement to install energy efficient terminal lighting that will result in savings of approximately 70% over the present lamps installed. Additionally DP World is conducting a programme to further reduce energy consumption at Jebel Ali Port by converting nine diesel powered rubber tyred gantries (RTG) to electrically powered systems in Phase 1 of a conversion plan for the fleet of more than 90 RTG's. This will result in an initial saving of approximately 90,000 litres of diesel per month, decreasing CO2 emissions by 2.8 million kilograms a year.Mohammed Al Muallem, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, DP World, UAE Region, said:"This is a significant achievement for Jebel Ali Port, the largest and busiest cargo hub in the region, serving the Middle ...

On 27-28 June : A Regional Response to Maritime Piracy The UAE's second anti-piracy conference to be held in Dubai on 27 -28 June has generated overwhelming interest globally and regionally with scores of high-ranking government ministers, industry leaders, security experts, the United Nations , the International Maritime Organisation, and other stakeholders from around the world expected to attend the event.The International Conference, to be held under the title 'A Regional Response to Maritime Piracy: Enhancing Public-Private Partnerships and Strengthening Global Engagement, will build on current global efforts to address the challenges of pirate attacks on ships, including its devastating human cost in terms of seamen taken hostage, and ways to enhance efforts to mitigate the root causes that have led to piracy in Somalia and other places.UAE initiative jointly convened by Foreign Ministry and DP World will aim to enhance public-private partnerships to better address the threats posed by maritime piracy to regional peace, security and prosperity.A conference website - www.counterpiracy.ae - has been updated and opened to provide all necessary information for invitees and other participants to register online for the conference. The website will also carry bespoke research articles and working papers that have been commissioned from ...

DMCA plays a vital role to promote maritime safety Dubai Maritime City Authority (DMCA), the government entity in-charge of regulating and supervising all aspects of the maritime sector in Dubai, recently received a delegation from the UAE National Ship Suppliers Association (UNSSA), led by Saeed Malek, President of UNSSA and Vice President of the International Ship Suppliers Association (ISSA), to discuss potential joint initiatives between both parties.CEO Amer Ali and COO Ali Dabbous attended the meeting on behalf of DMCA to explore prospects for cooperation between the Authority and UNSSA, particularly in areas that promote enhanced communication between both parties to share knowledge and expertise in support of their shared objectives and goals, as well as to identify ways to increase efficiency in operation and maintain high standards in ship supply services. The delegation was also briefed on DMCA 's experience in establishing maritime regulations and organizing industry-related activities and operations, as well as its role in facilitating interaction among all industry stakeholders." DMCA plays a vital role to promote maritime safety and organize regular industry activities in line with best international practices," said Saeed Malek, President, UAE National Ship Suppliers Association. "We are delighted to share knowledge with DMCA ...

How UAE faces increased piracy at sea and the challenges ahead The UAE's private security sector has grown considerably over the past decade. Mahmood Mohammed Amin is the chief executive of World Security, a business unit of Dubai World whose clients include Dubai Customs and Emaar Properties. Mr Amin talks about how this market has shifted with the country's growth, increased piracy at sea and the challenges ahead.How fast is the sector growing?The private security sector is growing more than what was expected. It's not only a man guarding a place; it's about the whole security system, which can be controlled through, say, the internet.What changes have been made among private security guards to combat sea piracy in the region?Piracy is far away from our side, but we have procedures for the ships coming to our ports. They have to be registered with the International Maritime Organization, follow International Ship and Port Facility Security Code, declare what they are carrying, and how many armed or unarmed guards they have on board. There has been a 30 per cent increase in the number of armed guards on board merchant ships over the last five years.How would you compare the nature of ...

UAE is pushing for a comprehensive regional strategy to combat maritime piracy The UAE is pushing for a comprehensive regional strategy to combat maritime piracy while promoting private-public partnerships to contain the phenomenon which cost the world $7billion last year.Dubai will be the venue for the second counter-piracy conference on June 27 and 28, and Foreign Minister Shaikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nayhan is looking at a long-term, sustainable solution to end the two-decade old problem. He said Somalia must be helped to mount an effective national challenge to beat back the sea brigands.''Our collective counter-piracy strategies must emphasise a long-term, sustainable solution. This must include empowering regional states to mount an effective national challenge to disrupt and defeat piracy groups operating off their shores through supporting the development of national response capacity. It must also include long-term strategies of humanitarian support that address the root causes of maritime piracy,'' said Shaikh Abdullah in a statement.The UAE is also taking the issue to the Arab League to help formulate a common response.He said maritime piracy in the Gulf of Aden and the western Indian Ocean is a 'serious global concern'. This year's conference will be attended by foreign ministers and ...

Focus on how best to organize and respond to a multiple casualty event aboard a cruise ship Dubai Maritime City Authority (DMCA), the government authority charged with regulating, coordinating and supervising all aspects of the maritime sector in Dubai, has announced that the Cruise Ship Emergency Response Task Force that was convened in September 2011 to address the challenges presented by the introduction of ever larger cruise ships to the UAE waters, hosted the first cruise sector mass casualty table top exercise and drill last week involving over eight hundred people .The Task Force, comprised of federal and local emergency responders, including the cruise industry, the Dubai Tourism, Commerce and Marketing Authority and coordinated by the DMCA, focused on how best to organize and respond to a multiple casualty event aboard a cruise ship in port or in near coastal waters, given that such a situation would require a significant amount of communication and coordination across public and private sector operations.The tabletop exercise, taken from real-life occurrences, simulated multiple casualties aboard a cruise ship outside of Port Rashid in Dubai.Costa Cruise Lines' FAVOLOSA volunteered to participate in the exercise. Captain Abdulla Al Hayyas of Dubai Maritime City Authority, acting as ...

Suspected to have links to Iranian military programmes The European Union has placed the names of eight companies based in the UAE on a list of entities suspected to have links to Iranian military programmes.An accountancy firm and seven shipping companies were included on a list of companies ordered to have any assets they hold in Europe frozen.The measures were agreed by the EU in December as part of sanctions against Iran.Morison Menon Chartered Accountants is pursuing legal action against the EU after it was included on the list.Court documents lodged with the Court of Justice of the European Communities accuse Morison Menon of being an "IRISL front company, owned or controlled by IRISL, or an IRISL affiliate."Both the EU and United States say the IRISL has played a key role in Iran's efforts to advance its military programme.Morison Menon denies it is a front for the IRISL and is fighting to clear its name. It advised IRISL on setting up an operation in Dubai Maritime City in 2004 and has since offered its services to help the firm launch branches in other emirates.It last did business with the IRISL in July 2010, said Raju Menon, the chairman and group ...