The Arab Academy for Science, Technology, and Maritime Transport Sharjah Branch (AASTS), has announced that it will be participating at the Seatrade Maritime Middle East as part of the UAE Maritime Week, scheduled to be held at the Dubai Exhibition Centre at Expo 2020 Dubai, from 13-16 December, 2021. Through its participation in the Week, the Arab Academy aims to showcase its comprehensive programs, state-of-the-art training facilities and laboratories, stimulators, and smart education systems, to the next generation. During the Week, the Arab Academy looks forward to promoting its advanced training methods, and inspiring the youngsters to be a part of the maritime industry.

Inspiring the next generation

Held under the patronage of the UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, the 2021 UAE Maritime Week will be held in-person, and aims to connect maritime markets in the Middle East by bringing together ship owners, industry suppliers, and key decision-makers from the region, on a common platform to discuss and plan about the future of the maritime industry over a course of five days. The week includes Seatrade Maritime Middle East; Seatrade Maritime Awards Middle East, Indian Subcontinent & Africa; Maritime Leaders Forum; and Experience Maritime.

H.E. Dr. Ismail Abdel Ghaffar Ismail Farag, President of the Arab Academy for Science, Technology, and Maritime Transport said: "We at AASTS have always been keen on ensuring that we spread awareness about the importance of the maritime industry across the region. We understand the kind of impact this sector has on the global economy, and look forward to qualifying skilled maritime professionals that will drive the growth and progress of this industry. Through our participation in the UAE Maritime Week, we aim to not only promote our specialised programs, but also reach out to students who are looking for a competitive curriculum in maritime studies. Our objective has always been to educate, train, and enhance the skills of the next generation of maritime leaders in order to prepare them to benefit from the opportunities that are available for them in the industry.”

Addressing key industry concerns

The 2021 edition of the UAE Maritime Week will look forward to discussing topics such as seafarers’ safety, future of the supply chain, digitalization and data, regulation updates, and decarbonization and sustainable shipping.

Abdel Ghaffar added: “The Arab Academy has always been a frontrunner in terms of highlighting seafarers’ issues, promoting the digital transformation of the industry, and also supporting sustainable practices in the maritime sector. Through our participation in the UAE Maritime Week, we look forward to not only attracting the next generation to build a career in the maritime sector, but also hope to offer our services to the industry, utilise our capabilities, and the expertise of our staff to serve and develop the UAE’s maritime sector. We believe that our participation in the Week will help us explore our vision, i.e. to enhance the Arab maritime sector by preparing the nation’s youth to be competent industry professionals, while also providing research and development services.”

‍