KUWAIT CITY, Sept 11: The committee of port authorities and maritime administrations of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states held its 33rd meeting on Wednesday under the chairmanship of Kuwait to discuss a proposed agreement on freedom of navigation for GCC citizens within Gulf waters.

Brigadier General Sheikh Mubarak Ali Al-Sabah, Director General of Kuwait’s Coast Guard, told KUNA following the meeting that the committee addressed mutual recognition of maritime licenses to enhance Gulf integration and connectivity.

Discussions also covered regulations for traditional commercial vessels entering GCC waters and ports, safety requirements for berths serving such vessels, and the implementation of an electronic ownership registration system for maritime units.

Other agenda items included facilitating the use of maritime vehicles for coastal travel, regulations for issuing marine driving licenses, and establishing specialized training centers to build national maritime capacities.

Sheikh Mubarak emphasized that the meeting reflects GCC countries’ commitment to boosting cooperation, advancing the maritime transport sector, supporting regional trade, and increasing economic and social returns.

He noted that all GCC countries, overlooking the Arabian Gulf, assign port authorities key roles not only in regulating navigation and ship movements but also in protecting the marine environment and ensuring the sustainability of vital resources.

Highlighting achievements by member states, Sheikh Mubarak said Kuwaiti-flagged ships recently received top operational performance ratings under the Tokyo Memorandum of Understanding after 30 inspections without remarks.

Saudi Arabia has expanded its fleet to 409 vessels with a total deadweight of over 16.5 million tons and registered 3,000 national seafarers. Dubai launched a comprehensive 2030 maritime transport plan, Qatar’s Hamad Port ranked 11th globally in container efficiency, Oman’s Port of Salalah ranked second globally, and Bahrain launched a national maritime data program with the advanced research vessel Al-Masaha 2050.

Sheikh Mubarak added that the meeting embodies the GCC member states’ keenness to enhance cooperation, develop maritime transport systems, and strengthen regulatory and environmental oversight, reflecting the strategic importance of the sector in the region.

A session of the Committee of Port Authorities and Maritime Administration officials of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.