The Economic Cities Authority (ECA), represented by The Ports Division, organized a training course on the safety of navigation as part of its Port State Control function. Held at King Abdullah Economic City's Bay La Sun Hotel, the training course was organized in cooperation with Lloyds Register, as part of Saudi Arabia's effort to enhance safety of navigation at its ports. Representatives of a number of related government agencies participated in the course, including the Ministry of Transport, Jeddah Islamic Port, and the General Commission for Survey, as well as the Ports Development Company (the master developer of King Abdullah Port), and the Specialized Marine Services Company (the marine service provider at King Abdullah Port). Mohanud Helal, Secretary General of ECA, emphasized the ECA's commitment toward improving safety of navigation at Saudi ports in cooperation with all other related stakeholders. He said that this is an important initiative that brings together the effort of many parties in coordination with ECA's Ports Sector to uphold maritime safety standards, which contributes greatly to the development of this vital sector and the role it plays in diversifying the Saudi economy. Ali Hamidaddin, Vice Secretary General for Ports at ECA, highlighted the importance of the training course, especially in view of the vital role of safety of navigation in securing marine transport and the smooth flow of global trade. He said: "Holding such training is certain to enhance the performance of personnel working at ports within the Kingdom, by raising their awareness of the safety standards in the field of Port State Control activities, which are a key element in ensuring the smooth and safe flow of ships." In addition, Hamidaddin said ECA intends to hold more workshops that will improve performance and ensure the Economic Cities are contributing to the national economy and its diversification." At the end of the workshop, he distributed certificates of appreciation to the participants, whom he said were pleased with the experience. On the last day of the training workshop, the participants were given a tour to King Abdullah Port, the first port in the Kingdom fully owned, developed and operated by the private sector in line with the Kingdom's vision to establish strong partnership between the public and private sectors. Also they were shown around the port's facilities, including the berth with an annual capacity of 2.7million containers, as well as the vehicle and the bulk terminal, which are still under construction. They were also given a presentation outlining the port's vision in terms of its role as complementary to the other ports in the Kingdom and in regaining Saudi Arabia's share in shipping trade that currently goes to neighboring ports, highlighting King Abdullah Port's important role in the economic transformation of the Kingdom.
