Jordan Marks World Maritime Day, Highlighting Aqaba Ports As Backbone For Regional Trade

(MENAFN- Jordan News Agency)

Amman, Sept. 24 (Petra) – Every year, the world celebrates World Maritime Day, an occasion that sheds light on the hidden treasures of the vast oceans and raises awareness of the seas as a vital source of life.
The celebration, taking place on Thursday, reaffirms that the seas are not only vast blue spaces, but also a vital center hosting countless biodiversity and offering us limitless opportunities.
World Maritime Day 2025 has adopted the theme "Our Ocean, Our Obligation, Our Opportunity," as a subject embodying this event, which stresses the commitment to sail toward a sustainable future, with maritime transport becoming a key pillar in protecting the marine environment and preserving life.
The event underscores the vital role that maritime transport plays in preserving living creatures and promoting the marine environment.
The ocean is not merely a source of resources, but a complex ecosystem that includes many living organisms and cultural practices, often linked to the livelihoods of millions of people around the world. Thus, enhancing sustainability in this sector is considered essential to ensure the continuity of these resources for future generations.
This day aims to stimulate dialogue and initiatives that seek to achieve the necessary transformations in the field of maritime navigation and to encourage all stakeholders to take appropriate measures to protect our marine environment.
In his message marking World Maritime Day, United Nations Secretary-General Ant?nio Guterres wrote: "The ocean provides half the oxygen we breathe, feeds billions of people, contributes to regulating the Earth's climate, and enables more than 80 percent of global trade thanks to shipping. It is also home to millions of marine species and a vital source of jobs, food, and economic opportunities benefiting vast populations around the world."
In this context, Jordan's efforts stand out, enhancing the position of its ports as an advanced logistical system supporting sustainable development, committed to ambitious royal visions to make the Kingdom a regional hub for green development and sustainable maritime trade. It has 10 specialized ports with a handling capacity exceeding 70 million tonnes annually, 1.3 million TEUs, and 2 million passengers.
According to the World Bank Group, maritime transport is the backbone of global trade, with more than 80 percent of goods shipped by sea.
Developing countries rely on maritime transport, with about 55 percent of their exports and 61 percent of their imports carried by sea.
CEO of the Aqaba Development Corporation (ADC) Hussein Safadi told Petra that Aqaba's ports represent the backbone of Jordanian maritime transport, comprising today 10 specialized ports with 28 operational berths and marine service docks, with an annual handling capacity exceeding 70 million tonnes, 1.3 million TEUs, and 2 million passengers.
He added that this system, owned by ADC as the main developer of the Aqaba Special Economic Zone, is Jordan's only maritime gateway on the Red Sea and plays a pivotal role in supporting national trade by receiving all kinds of goods, including oil, minerals, and general cargo.
Safadi pointed out that ADC works according to the Royal directives, in line with the vision of making the Kingdom a regional hub for green development, noting that sustainable development has become a national choice indispensable for a prosperous future. He stressed that Jordan, through Aqaba, aspires to play a greater role in the region by developing a world-class multimodal transport and logistics network, supported by competitive investment legislation and effective public-private partnerships.
He explained that Aqaba has today become a strategic center on regional shipping lines and a main transit point for several neighboring countries, thanks to its integrated network covering containers, energy, general cargo, and industrial flows.
Safadi concluded: "This diverse and integrated system has made Aqaba a flexible logistics hub serving Jordan and the region alike, reflecting its growing position in maritime trade and global supply chains," considering World Maritime Day an opportunity to celebrate Jordan's maritime achievements and renew appreciation for ADC's role in transforming Aqaba into a sustainable and competitive logistics hub in the heart of the region.
Director General of the Jordan Maritime Commission, Omar Dabbas, said the commission acquired this name under the 2014 Law on the Restructuring of Public Institutions and Departments, after it was previously known as the "Jordan Maritime Authority."
He noted that the strategic work system for the maritime transport sector in the Kingdom is carried out by following up on projects listed within the Economic Modernization Vision and aligning them with projects in the strategic plan of the Jordan Maritime Commission, with relevant reports submitted.
He said work is underway to sustain operation of the coastal station and secure the necessary devices and equipment to provide wireless communications with ships, where the station's devices, equipment, and offices were moved to a better space equipped to meet the needs of marine communication officers, in line with relevant international standards.
He pointed out that Jordan is party to 37 international maritime conventions, protocols, and codes, having signed 16 conventions related to certification issuance, and manages the files of delegated classification societies authorized to issue Jordanian ship certificates on behalf of the Commission in accordance with international requirements. These classification societies include Russian, American, Japanese, Greek, British, French, Norwegian, German, Korean, Italian, Polish, Emirati, Croatian, Indian, Cypriot, and PHONIX classification societies.
In addition, Jordan has signed bilateral memoranda of understanding with many countries, totaling 44, and is currently preparing an MoU for international cooperation in maritime education and training with Saudi Arabia. A specialized team has also been formed to study maritime sector regulations and review and develop some systems and instructions, to be submitted to the Board for approval and then published in the Official Gazette, according to Dabbas.
He noted that one of the commission's core tasks is to intensify monitoring and inspection of ships arriving at Aqaba Port and port facilities, to ensure compliance with safety and maritime security standards and international requirements, in addition to protecting the marine environment from pollution.
The commission also monitors the movement of marine vessels in territorial waters to verify compliance with maritime safety requirements under applicable laws.
On digital transformation and service development, he explained that the commission strengthened five key pillars: digital infrastructure, digital skills, digital entrepreneurship, digital financial services, and digital platforms. Payment processes were automated electronically through the "e-Fawateercom" app, with seven pilot electronic services launched, and procedures are underway to complete automation of the remaining 24 services under the approved digital transformation plan.
He said: "The Jordan Maritime Commission seeks to raise the reputation of the Jordanian flag to be among the ranks of advanced countries in the international maritime sector, since technical and sensory inspection of Jordanian ships wherever they may be requires significant efforts to maintain these ships flying the Jordanian flag safe from being targeted for inspection by port state control officers at ports they call at. It also follows up on all national ships, those flying the Jordanian flag, vessels operating in territorial waters, and tugboats belonging to Aqaba Port Marine Services Company, overseeing their maintenance works, inspecting marine vessels operating in territorial waters of all types, issuing navigation licenses for them, conducting technical inspections of foreign boats, ensuring compliance with maritime safety, monitoring implementation of maritime security requirements on ships and ports, and inspecting companies and commercial matters."
In this regard, Dabbas said companies operating in the maritime transport sector were licensed and inspected based on Commission regulations inside and outside the Aqaba Special Economic Zone. The number of licensed companies inside the Zone reached around 190, while 173 companies were licensed outside the Zone.
On maritime education and training, he explained that the commission supervises the activities of maritime education and training institutes in Jordan, including conducting and monitoring exams, even during lockdown periods of the COVID-19 pandemic, observing safety and preventive measures. It also issues certificates under international conventions and training standards, reviews accreditation requirements of institutions and their programs, and evaluates maritime personnel through its exam center and specialized body.
He added that the Jordan Maritime Commission aims to raise the reputation of the Jordanian flag internationally. To this end, efforts continue to promote, encourage, and attract ship registration under the Jordanian flag through a clear strategy and roadmap for this vital field. The number of vessels registered with the Jordan Maritime Commission has reached about 32.
The Jordan Shipping Association said Aqaba Port recorded strong performance and noticeable growth in its various activities over the past eight months, reflecting the recovery of Jordan's maritime transport sector and improved efficiency in serving regional and international trade movement.
Secretary General of the Association, Captain Mohammad Al-Dalabeeh, affirmed that this growth came as a result of continuous efforts to enhance the competitiveness of Aqaba's ports and boost their operational capacities, contributing to attracting more global shipping lines.
Al-Dalabeeh, in his response to the Association's assessment of the current state of the maritime industry, said the situation is generally good. Alongside many shipping companies, there is one maritime academy in Amman and another in Aqaba, graduating students in all maritime fields and providing companies and ships with trained crews, thereby boosting maritime efficiency and strengthening maritime activity and the industry in Jordan.
He added that regional conditions have been the biggest challenge due to military actions, whether in the Red Sea or in Ukraine, which affected sailing times with a state of anticipation among seafarers.
Asked about the Association's efforts to improve working conditions and safety for workers in the maritime sector, he said it works in multiple areas, including organizing monthly training courses for company staff, coordinating with international organizations on training, and inviting Arab and foreign specialists to hold training courses in Jordan to raise workers' skills, in addition to providing them with maritime bulletins and the latest developments in the maritime industry.
In the same context, he explained that technology today plays a crucial role in developing the maritime industry, becoming a main driver of the sector, with positive impacts across ships and ports alike.
On the Association's contribution to sustainability and protecting the marine environment, he said this is done in coordination with environmental officials in Aqaba and ports, as well as ship captains calling at Aqaba, to preserve the environment and cleanliness of seawater. The Association also cooperates with organizations interested in keeping seawater clean.
Al-Dalabeeh concluded by highlighting programs and initiatives carried out by the Association to strengthen the training and qualification of national maritime cadres, including monthly programs, continuous training courses, awareness activities, as well as coordination with relevant authorities and working with the Maritime Commission to ratify treaties that ensure public safety and raise the level of maritime education in Jordan, alongside signing related agreements.
Asked about the Association's cooperation with international bodies to achieve the maritime sector's interests and security, he replied that cooperation is ongoing, given the Association's membership in FONASBA, the Federation of National Associations of Ship Brokers and Agents, headquartered in London, which includes representatives from all countries worldwide, whether ship agents or other maritime specialists.
He affirmed that the Association is also a member of the Arab Federation of Chambers of Shipping (AFCS), based in Cairo, through which information, consultations, and studies relevant to Jordan's maritime sector are obtained.
International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said in his message marking the day on the IMO's website that this year's World Maritime Day theme reflected the ocean's vital role in the global economy, with more than 80 percent of world trade transported by sea. He added the ocean is a source of jobs and food for millions of people, home to countless marine species, and a regulator of the planet's climate, mitigating the effects of climate change.
He noted that IMO's long-term commitment to this issue is reflected in the strong global regulatory framework supporting cleaner and safer seas, and a growing set of technical assistance initiatives to support ocean protection in its 176 member states.

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