Saudi Arabia And The Bahamas Strengthen Maritime Ties Through Enhanced Collaboration At The IMO

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's delegation, led by Eng. Kamal Al Junaidi, met with The Bahamas' representatives at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) headquarters in London. This meeting occurred during the 49th Session of the Facilitation Committee. Discussions centred on enhancing bilateral cooperation to bring positive changes to the maritime industry.

Key topics included seafarer education, digital transformation, and global trade facilitation. Both parties expressed their dedication to fostering innovative and sustainable solutions for a more resilient maritime sector. Eng. Al Junaidi highlighted Saudi Arabia's partnerships with the IMO, such as IMOCARES, GloLitter, GloFouling, and GloNoise.

The Bahamas' delegation showcased its maritime education initiatives, particularly through the Bahamas Maritime Authority's STCW training for seafarers. Both nations stressed the importance of nurturing future seafarers while promoting initiatives that boost women's participation in the industry. Saudi Arabia's women-only maritime training program attracted over 600 applicants, indicating growing interest in this field.

Eng. Al Junaidi introduced the NextWave project, which aims to provide training opportunities for cadets from Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Least Developed Countries (LDCs) aboard Bahri ships. This initiative reflects Saudi Arabia's commitment to supporting global maritime education and development.

Dr. Majed Al Malik from MAWANI shared insights with Bahamian counterparts on port digitization strategies and Saudi Arabia's success with its Maritime Single Window implementation. The two delegations agreed to explore collaboration on digital infrastructure and data management processes.

Efforts will focus on implementing effective Long-Range Identification and Tracking (LRIT) within The Bahamas' archipelago to enhance maritime domain awareness. These initiatives align with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 goals to become a global logistics hub by streamlining clearance processes and boosting trade efficiency.

Strengthening Bilateral Ties

The Hon. JoBeth Coleby-Davis and Eng. Kamal Al Junaidi exchanged commemorative gifts during the meeting. Additionally, Saudi Arabia extended an invitation to The Bahamas to participate in the upcoming Sustainable Maritime Industry Conference (SMIC), scheduled for September 2025.

This gesture underscores both countries' commitment to strengthening their bilateral ties and working together towards a sustainable future for the maritime industry.

With inputs from SPA