The 24th meeting of the Commanders of the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states concluded in Bahrain, Wednesday.
The meeting was hosted by the Bahrain Defence Force (BDF), represented by the Royal Bahrain Naval Force, in the presence of Major General Staff Salman bin Ibrahim Al Fadhala, Assistant Secretary General for Military Affairs at the GCC General Secretariat, and Major General Staff Abdulaziz bin Ahmed Al Balawi, Commander of the GCC Unified Military Command.
The meeting discussed agenda items aimed at further developing the operational aspects of the maritime system related to maritime security and ensuring navigational safety in the Arabian Gulf through coordinating roles, harmonising operational and defence concepts, and enhancing cooperation and integration in joint operations, Bahrain News Agency (BNA) reported.
The discussions also sought to strengthen the role of maritime security in the GCC states in addressing various challenges and ensuring freedom of navigation and the safety of maritime routes in the region.
In another development, Bader Hood Al Mahmood, Undersecretary for Ports and Maritime Affairs at Bahrain’s Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications, chaired the 39th meeting of the Committee of Officials of Ports Authorities and Maritime Administrations in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, held as part of the Kingdom of Bahrain’s presidency of the 46th session of the GCC Council.
Al Mahmood affirmed Bahrain’s commitment to strengthening joint GCC action and developing the ports and maritime sector, highlighting the importance of continued coordination and the standardisation of procedures and standards to enhance the resilience of the maritime sector, ensure the continuity of supply chains, and support the competitiveness of GCC ports.
He added that adopting technological solutions and sustainable initiatives, alongside enhancing the efficiency of maritime navigation and transport among GCC countries, contributes to improving maritime services and strengthening the position of the GCC maritime sector internationally.
The meeting discussed the items on the agenda, most notably enhancing GCC logistics integration and developing port and maritime navigation operations, ways to address challenges facing trade and maritime traffic, and rising shipping and insurance costs, as well as regulating navigation, facilitating the movement of ships and marine vessels, and standardising regulations governing the licensing of marine units and inspection procedures.
Participants also discussed enhancing maritime security, safety and sustainability, standardising procedures for implementing the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code, the Green Corridors initiative between ports, enhancing technological alternatives for Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) services, and coordinating priorities with the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).
