The Second Saudi International Maritime Forum (SIM22)
The Second Saudi International Maritime Forum (SIM22) launched its second event in Jeddah from 15-17 November 2022. SIM22, organized by the Royal Saudi Naval Forces under the auspices of His Royal Highness Prince Khaled bin Salman al Saud, the Minister of Defense focused on “Protecting Against Unmanned Systems” with the aim to exchange views and discuss the challenges facing marine and coastal sites.
Topics included the development of counter-unmanned systems and cooperative frameworks, their role in confronting the threat of unmanned systems, artificial intelligence and cyber security and protecting critical infrastructure.
The opening of SIM22 saw a keynote address from The Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Mr. Kitack Lim. In addition to highlighting KSA’s commitment to the IMO over more than 50 years, the Secretary General discussed
partnership agreements signed in 2021 aimed at lowering shipping emissions, reducing marine litter, and tackling invasive aquatic species. Mr. Kitack Lim also highlighted KSA’s participation in the Djibouti Code of Conduct Jeddah Amendment in 2017 and the state-of-the-art Jeddah Maritime Information Sharing Centre, which serves the region by sharing information and offering training facilities.
He also thanked Saudi Arabia for their generous support for the planned UN emergency operation to address the threat posed by the deteriorating floating storage and offloading unit FSO SAFER, moored off the coast of Yemen. Read the Secretary-General’s full speech at: https://www.imo.org/en/MediaCentre/SecretaryGeneral/Pages/Saudi-International-Maritime-Forum.aspx
Another keynote speech was made by Chief of Staff of the Pakistan Naval Forces Admiral Mohammed Amjad Khan Niazi, and His Excellency the Deputy Minister of Transport and Logistics Services, and president of the Transport General Authority, Dr. Rumaih Al-Rumaih who echoed the Secretary-General’s speech on the commitment to the IMO as well as KSA’s increasing developments in maritime logistics which saw Saudi flagged vessels increasing by 77% and becoming the largest regional fleet. The Kingdom also became the first country in the Middle East to receive the 21st Century Certificate awarded by the US Coast Guard, read more on that here: https://www.ksaimo.com/blog-2/1znx4khpywhy2srmri9mys5mn5jbk3.
HE Dr. Rumaih Al-Rumaih concluded that the initiatives of the national strategy, the Kingdom will become the leading maritime country and first in the region by 2030 among the top 8 countries in the world in handling containers, and contribution of the maritime sector in the Kingdom’s economy quadruple in the coming years. The initiatives of the National Maritime Sector Strategy aim to create sustainable opportunities and impacts ports, shipping, maritime services, ship manufacturing and repair, fishing and aquaculture and marine tourism. All efforts that further advancing KSA’s aims of Vision2030.
Other notable speakers included Senior Analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute Dr. Malcolm Davis, Director of the Center for Intelligence and Security and Studies at the University of Akron Professor Karl Kaltenthaler, the president of the KSF Space Foundation. Commander of the 150th Mixed Force in Bahrain and Rear Admiral Abdullah bin Mutaib Al-Mutairi, and Royal Navy Commodore Ben Aldous.
The Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Mr. Kitack Lim
His Excellency the Deputy Minister of Transport and Logistics Services, and president of the Transport General Authority, Dr. Rumaih Al-Rumaih
