Dubai Maritime City Authority to handle registration and licensing of maritime businesses in Dubai.

Dubai Maritime City Authority to handle registration and licensing of maritime businesses in Dubai Dubai Maritime City, the world's first purpose-built maritime centre and member of the Dubai World Group, has recently announced that registration and licensing of all maritime businesses in Dubai, which was previously the responsibility of Dubai's Department of Economic Development (DED), will now be handled by the Dubai Maritime City Authority as part of initiatives to provide a centralised point of access for all maritime-related activities in the emirate. Under the new setup, Dubai Maritime City Authority will facilitate various maritime-related transactions including trade name, issuance of license, renewal of license, amendment of license and cancellation of license. To ensure a smooth transition, Dubai Maritime City Authority announced that it has informed all relevant government departments and concerned parties about the new structure and the specific responsibilities now being handled by the Authority. "Dubai Maritime City represents a new era in the maritime industry as we open new possibilities and provide innovative solutions to address evolving challenges in this highly dynamic sector. With Dubai Maritime City Authority assuming maritime regulatory responsibilities, we are now well on course of realising the maritime centre's vision of catering to all the requirements of the global maritime industry," said Adel Kalantar, Director- Business Support Services at Dubai Maritime City. "We are pleased to give Dubai Maritime City Authority the opportunity to share and benefit from DED's expertise in the registration and licensing of businesses. We believe that due to its expertise in the maritime industry, Dubai Maritime City will certainly provide great benefits to the maritime sector and national economy as well as promote efficiency and transparency in the delivery of services to the business community," stated Ali Ibrahim, Deputy Director General for Executive Affairs at DED. The establishment of DMC realises the vision of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to create a fully integrated environment that supports the sustained development of Dubai's maritime sector and contributes to the development of the national economy. The move is also in accordance with the Dubai Maritime City Law No. (11) of 2007 that was passed into law by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The law tasks DMCA to enhance Dubai's position in the maritime industry, and to oversee the development of specific maritime sectors such as maritime services, maritime management, vessel and yacht registration, vessel and yacht ownership and charter, maritime and educational research, vessel and yacht design and building, maritime shipment organisation, maritime exhibition, conferences, training and workshops; maritime tourism and maritime specialised arbitration. "This move is not only a simple transfer of functions; it represents a commitment to raise the level of performance and exceed the expectations of our clients in the global maritime sector, who can now expect more value-added premiums because Dubai Maritime City Authority has been established specifically as a maritime authority," added Kalantar. On completion, Dubai Maritime City will feature a fully integrated community for business, industrial activities, residential and academic and recreational amenities designed with a unique maritime-themed lifestyle.

[c] 2008 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)