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The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia celebrated World Maritime Day on the 26th of September 2024. Within the Kingdom, the next generation of Saudi seafarers from King Abdulaziz University observed the event and key buildings in Riyadh were illuminated blue in commemoration. Abroad, Saudi Arabia participated in the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) events at the Secretary-General’s Reception, and the IMO and World Meteorology Organization (WMO) 2nd Extreme Weather Symposium on Extreme Weather. The IMO’s theme for 2024 is ‘Navigating the Future: Safety First!’ marking the 50-year anniversary of the foundational IMO agreement, the Convention for Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS). The celebrations mark Saudi Arabia’s commitment towards advancing initiatives to securing a safe and sustainable maritime industry in line with Vision 2030.
H.E. Dr. Rumaih Al-Rumaih, Vice Minister of Transport and Logistics Services and President of the Transport General Authority (TGA) released a statement in celebration of World Maritime Day, noting the extraordinary transformation of the Saudi maritime sector:
“We take great pride in the standing of our nation and the national talents in the Saudi maritime transport industry. As an active Council Member of the IMO, Saudi Arabia is fully committed to all international treaties and agreements concerning maritime transport and safety, foremost SOLAS Convention. We extend our utmost appreciation and pride to all the national talents and professionals working in the Saudi maritime sector for their pivotal role in achieving the Kingdom’s goals and visions.”
H.E. Dr. Rumaih Al-Rumaih, also highlighted the growing national talent pool, which consists of over 2,000 sailors because of the extraordinary efforts of the six-marine focused institutions. These institutions offer over 2,300 maritime training programs in line with the STCW Convention that has enabled the training of more than 770 sailors from different nationalities around the world. One of the six institutions, King Abdulaziz University marked the occasion of World Maritime Day with the male and female students highlighting the country’s commitment of educating safety and the building of the future generations.
In London, at the IMO’s Headquarters, a Saudi delegation led by Eng. Kamal Al Junaidi, General Manager of Maritime Transport Policies and International Organisational Affairs attended Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez’s evening reception. Eng. Al Junaidi noted that the celebrations show pride in the efforts of those working in this vital sector, and the wise leadership guiding Saudi’s development such as the National Strategy for Transport and Logistics Services which aims to capitalise on the Kingdom’s strategic position as a global logistics center.
In parallel of the official reception, the IMO hosted the 2nd annual Symposium on Extreme Weather with the World Meteorology Organization (WMO) which looked to find possible solutions to minimize the risks created by extreme weather events.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's celebration of World Maritime Day 2024 demonstrates the dedication to enhancing maritime safety and sustainability, aligning with the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) theme of "Navigating the Future: Safety First!" Saudi Arabia reaffirms its commitment actively participating in international efforts. Saudi Arabia’s celebrations, both domestically and internationally, underscore its ambition to strengthen global partnerships, foster innovation, and promote a safer and more sustainable maritime industry for years to come.
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