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MENAFN- Mid-East Info) Under the Patronage of Hamdan bin Zayed
The third edition of the Awards celebrated marina excellence from across the MENAT region
2025 marked the introduction of artificial intelligence as a supportive tool in the Awards submissions and assessment processes.
Abu Dhabi, UAE –November 2025: Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler's Representative in the Al Dhafra Region; in the presence of Sheikh Rashid bin Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Sheikh Ahmed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan, President of the UAE Sailing and Rowing Federation; and in collaboration with the Integrated Transport Centre (ITC), an affiliate of the Abu Dhabi Department of Municipalities and Transport; Abu Dhabi Maritime – part of AD Ports Group (ADX: ADPORTS) – announced the winners of the 2025 Abu Dhabi Maritime Awards in a ceremony during the Abu Dhabi International Boat Show on 20 November 2025.
The Awards aim to bring recognition to the vibrant marina industry across the Middle East, North Africa, and Türkiye (MENAT region), and to set new benchmarks for excellence in marina management and operations.
For their third edition, the Awards expanded their scope to recognise outstanding organisation-wide, individual, and project-based achievements or performance.
The Awards ceremony honoured 22 winners across the following categories:
Organisation-Based Awards:
o Gold: Dubai Harbour – UAE
o Silver: D-Marin Didim – Türkiye
Outstanding Emerging Marina Award:
o Gold: D-Marin Marsa Al Arab – UAE
o Silver: Emirates Palace Marina – UAE
Customer Experience Award:
o Gold: D-Marin Didim – Türkiye
o Silver: D-Marin Göcek – Türkiye
Employer Excellence Award:
o Gold: Palm Jumeirah Marina – UAE
o Silver: Bulgari Marina – UAE
o Gold: Emirates Palace Marina – UAE
o Silver: D-Marin Turgutreis – Türkiye
o Gold: D-Marin Göcek – Türkiye
o Silver: Palm Jumeirah Marina – UAE
o Gold: D-Marin Turgutreis – Türkiye
o Silver: The Pearl Island Marina – Qatar
Individual-Based Awards:
Outstanding Leader Award:
Gold: Wayne Shepherd – Dubai Harbour
Silver: Adel Maani – Ayla Marina
Outstanding Service Hero Award:
Gold: Sara Abdelaziz – Aldar Marinas
Silver: Charles Mayanja – Emirates Palace Marina
Gold: Hassan Ahmad – Jeddah Yacht Club
Silver: Sherzodbek Ganiev – Palm Jumeirah Marina
Project-Based Awards
Sustainability Project Award: Dubai Islands Marina
Innovation Project Award: Dubai Harbour
Finally, the Most Popular Marina special recognition, selected by public vote, went to: The Pearl Island Marina – Qatar.
On this occasion, Dr. Abdulla Hamad AlGhfeli, Acting Director-General of the Integrated Transport Centre, said:“The Abu Dhabi Maritime Awards continue to reflect our dedication to advancing the maritime sector through collaboration, innovation, and excellence. By recognising outstanding contributions from across the MENAT region, we not only celebrate achievements but also foster a culture of continuous improvement. These awards play a vital role in elevating service quality, promoting sustainability, and encouraging knowledge exchange, ultimately strengthening Abu Dhabi's leadership in maritime sector development and enhancing Abu Dhabi's position as a leading maritime hub.”
Captain Saif Al Mheiri, CEO of Abu Dhabi Maritime and Chief Sustainability Officer at AD Ports Group, added:“More than a celebration, the Abu Dhabi Maritime Awards are a catalyst for progress in the marina industry. Each year, we witness remarkable advancements in innovation, safety, and sustainability, driven by passionate individuals and organisations. As Abu Dhabi continues to rise as a global maritime hub, these awards underscore our commitment to setting world-class standards and positioning the emirate at the forefront of the international maritime landscape.”
New this year was the incorporation of an artificial intelligence agent into the Awards' secure online submission and assessment platform.
As in previous editions, submissions to the Abu Dhabi Maritime Awards first underwent analysis by teams of qualified assessors, who scored each entry according to the criteria specific to each award category.
The AI agent organised data for easy access by the assessors. It further identified submissions' potential strengths and shortcomings for assessors' consideration during their own comprehensive reviews.
Assessors submitted their findings to the Awards jury members, who weighed assessors' input as part of their deliberations, but also conducted their own qualitative examination of each entry before deciding award winners.
The introduction of AI assistance to the Abu Dhabi Maritime Awards has laid the groundwork for its further integration as a complement to the human-led evaluation and judging processes.
The Abu Dhabi Maritime Awards model draws from multi-sector leading awards programme benchmarks. Also notable this year was the diversity of the Awards' 13 assessors. With wide-ranging professional experience – from customer experience strategy to quality management, marketing, sustainable development, and business excellence – spanning a combined 12 countries on five continents, these experts brought valuable perspectives to their analyses, further underling the Awards' panoramic approach.
The 2025 Abu Dhabi Maritime Awards jury, meanwhile, comprised distinguished leaders whose eminence ensured a rigorous, independent, and forward-looking evaluation process, backed by decades of practice across industry, consultancy, and quality frameworks. This collective strength reinforced the Awards' stature as a measure of excellence in the maritime sector.
The fourth edition of the Abu Dhabi Maritime Awards is scheduled to take place in fall 2026.
In collaboration with Integrated Transport Centre, Abu Dhabi Maritime, operating under AD Ports Group, is tasked with safeguarding Abu Dhabi's waterways and supporting the growth of the emirate's maritime sector.
The awards are a testament to the organisations' commitment to upholding high health, safety, and environmental standards, positioning Abu Dhabi as a premier global maritime hub.
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