Abu Dhabi Maritime, the primary custodian of Abu Dhabi’s waterways, has celebrated another successful edition of the Abu Dhabi International Boat Show (ADIBS) 2022.

The team from Abu Dhabi Maritime showcased a number of developments put in place to support growth in the maritime domain and position Abu Dhabi as a leading maritime capital. Highlights included the first comprehensive safety mapping of all waterways, jet ski licensing services and putting milestones in place to advance the superyacht sector.

Additionally, 10 agreements and Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with leading industry players were signed, further supporting Abu Dhabi Maritime’s development of waterways, marinas and ports across the emirate.

The event also provided the ideal platform to spotlight Abu Dhabi Maritime’s first Public Water Taxi Service launched earlier in the month, serving the Greater Yas Bay and Al Reef area within Yas Island. A similar service was implemented and operated by Abu Dhabi Maritime for the duration of the show from Al Qana to ADIBS, providing a convenient means of public transport to and from the event.

Culminating ADIBS 2022, Abu Dhabi Maritime announced the creation of new industry awards to recognise the best marina facilities in the region, as part of its efforts to highlight best practice and foster global growth of the sector. The awards will cover a range of categories including safety, customer satisfaction and best practice, among others. As part of Abu Dhabi Maritime’s efforts to balance the growth of marinas with environmental care, there will also be specific awards for sustainability and ecological initiatives.

The first-of-their-kind awards will culminate with a top prize for the overall best performing marina across all categories. A panel of independent experts will adjudicate the inaugural awards, which are scheduled to be presented at ADIBS 2023.

Captain Ammar Mubarak Al Shaiba, Acting CEO – Maritime Cluster and SAFEEN Group, AD Ports Group, said: “AD Ports Group is pleased to take this opportunity to demonstrate the hard work and dedication that has been applied to make Abu Dhabi’s waterways safer and more accessible to visitors, while protecting our diverse marine ecosystem. Each of our initiatives, including comprehensive safety mapping of our waterways, licensing for jet skis, and superyacht programme, are improving the maritime leisure experience, by increasing quality, safety, and access. AD Ports Group aims to support the diversification of Abu Dhabi’s economy, while also furthering sustainable best practice, to keep our waterways pristine.”

Captain Saif Al Mheiri, Managing Director, Abu Dhabi Maritime, commented: “It gives us great pleasure to be a strategic partner and sponsor of the Abu Dhabi International Boat Show, an exceptional event that enables leading industry players and the local leisure marine community to engage and discover the latest developments within the marine sector. It also provides us with the opportunity to shine a light on our progress in positioning Abu Dhabi as an international maritime destination.

“Marinas play a key role in the wider ecosystem of boating and maritime activity, and there is a clear need for an industry award programme that recognises excellence and rewards achievements. We believe these awards will encourage the development of smart and sustainable marina facilities and recognise those operators who balance their environmental responsibilities with their support for the maritime community. We are proud to launch these awards at ADIBS 2022, which plays such a key role in encouraging leisure marine, prestige boating and fishing.”

Established in 2020, Abu Dhabi Maritime oversees Abu Dhabi’s commercial and community ports, leisure marinas, vessels, waterway users (commercial and private), maritime service companies, and other marine infrastructures.

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