Emirates Shipping Association welcomed members, partners, and industry leaders to Latitude 25°, its annual end-of-year gathering held at Jumeirah Emirates Towers Terrace on 20th November. The event brought the UAE’s maritime community together to reflect on a year marked by momentum, collaboration, and meaningful progress across the sector.

This year’s edition was honoured by the presence of H.E. Abdulla Bin Touq AlMarri — Minister of Economy and Tourism, UAE Ministry of Economy and Tourism —  who delivered an address on the strategic role of shipping in the nation’s economic vision. He noted that the maritime sector remains a core pillar of the UAE economy, underpinning trade, connectivity, and diversification.

The keynote perspectives continued with Thomas Kazakos, Secretary General of the International Chamber of Shipping, who underscored the industry’s shared responsibility in the global energy transition. While shipping generates 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions, he emphasised the sector’s commitment to driving decarbonisation at scale.

A Year of Momentum

Emirates Shipping Association Secretary-General Anders Østergaard closed the evening with a recap of 2025 and a major milestone: the Association has now surpassed 100 members, reinforcing its position as the central platform uniting maritime stakeholders across the UAE.

Over the past year, Emirates Shipping Association advanced the work of its two committees: the Advancing UAE Registry as Flag State & Standardisation of UAE Tax Committee, and the Leadership & Sustainability Committee — two key forums established to strengthen alignment, governance, and practical cooperation across the ecosystem. These committees brought together experts from across the sector to address shared priorities, including UAE flag development, sustainability, digitalisation, and leadership.

Their collective work shaped the Association’s first White Paper, capturing the key insights surfaced through committee discussions and industry engagement throughout the year, including:

• The UAE maritime sector contributed AED 135 billion to GDP in 2024.
• The UAE now ranks 12th globally in ship ownership by fleet value.
• Only 1–2% of UAE-owned vessels are registered under the UAE flag, signalling opportunities to elevate alignment and service standards.
• Unified policy, improved digital services, and ecosystem coordination will be essential to sustaining the UAE’s rise as a global maritime centre.

Strengthening Global Connections

A major highlight of 2025 was MLP25, held in Singapore, where UAE maritime leaders engaged with international partners on digitalisation, maritime security, the energy transition, and talent development. The programme continued to strengthen ties between the UAE and Singapore’s world-class maritime ecosystems.

Reflecting on the year, Capt. Abdulkareem Almessabi, Chairman of Emirates Shipping Association, said:

“Latitude 25° gives our community a moment to recognise the progress made this year and align on the work ahead. The insights gathered through our committees and reflected in the White Paper show the strength of collaboration across the sector, and we look forward to continuing this momentum in 2026.”

Looking Ahead

Planning for MLP26 and the next phase of committee work is already underway, with updates to be shared in early 2026. Emirates Shipping Association remains committed to enabling collaboration, strengthening industry dialogue, and supporting the UAE’s position as a leading global maritime hub.

📸 View the event photos here

🎥 View the event highlight video here