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Khaleej Times
15-07-2025
- Business
- Khaleej Times
Charting the future of maritime excellence: The TMS awards and Middle East's maritime transformation
The maritime industry in the Middle East is undergoing a dynamic transformation, powered by smart port technologies, sustainable fuels, and digital innovation. Leading this shift is the UAE, with significant investments in LNG-powered vessels, AI-driven operations, and major port infrastructure projects strengthening its role in global trade. Recent market research shows that the Middle East & Africa maritime analytics market, valued at $34.68 million in 2023, is projected to reach $48.57 million by 2028, growing at a CAGR of 7.0 per cent. Amid this momentum, companies are seeking to connect, expand, and gain recognition. One standout platform that has enabled these ambitions is The Maritime Standard (TMS) Awards. Since its inception in 2014, these awards have emerged as a premier platform for celebrating excellence and innovation. Now in its second decade, the event continues to bring together global maritime leaders and innovators in Dubai, serving as a catalyst for collaboration and offering unique opportunities to engage with regional players and explore the advanced capabilities of the UAE, the wider GCC, and the Indian Subcontinent. What began as an event hosting just around 500 guests has grown significantly, with its 11th edition last year witnessing over 1200 attendees. A notable milestone in the Awards' history came in 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when the event was successfully hosted on an international scale. Despite global challenges, the event brought together various sectors, trades, and regions by collaborating closely with the authorities, including the Dubai World Trade Centre and the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), along with industry stakeholders. At a time when physical gatherings were nearly impossible, the Awards served as a vital platform for connection. With each passing year, the event has continued to raise the bar, and the upcoming 2025 edition - celebrated under the theme 'Arabia: Its Rich History and Culture' - is poised to set an even higher benchmark. Trevor Pereira, Managing Director of The Maritime Standard FZ LLC and Flagship Events LLC, highlighted the significance of these Awards in supporting the sector's growth and the steps that companies must take to stay competitive and aligned with future trends. He emphasised the importance of staying ahead both technologically and strategically as the maritime sector embraces a new wave of innovation and sustainability. 'Maritime companies must remain up to date with the technological developments in the environmental sector, not only in areas such as the transition to alternative fuels, but also in the increasing relevance of digital innovations such as artificial intelligence. Attending the TMS Awards provide a valuable opportunity for companies to witness firsthand the progress being made in these critical areas. Such exposure often informs and inspires organisations to pursue similar initiatives themselves. The Awards also offer companies a valuable platform to enhance brand awareness and showcase their achievements to a global audience,' he stated. Pereira added: 'For the 2025 edition, we expect to welcome approximately 1,200 leading industry executives, with delegations expected from across the GCC and the Indian Subcontinent, as well as from further afield, including Europe, Southeast Asia, and the Far East.' This year, TMS has introduced two new award categories. Recognising that digitalisation has become a key strategic priority for many companies in the maritime sector, and to underscore the importance of initiatives in this area, TMS will, for the first time, present 'The Digital Transformation Award.' Additionally, the second new category, 'Heavylift/ Project Cargo Company of the Year Award,' reflects the growing demand for specialised maritime services to support the delivery of major energy and infrastructure projects across the region. The Awards also include a range of categories, such as 'The Technology/ Innovations Award,' which recognises the critical role of research, development, and innovation, as well as others that focus on sustainability issues. Several awards have been dedicated to sustainable practices, which include 'The Environmental Protection Award,' 'The Green Shipping Award,' and 'The Sustainable Shipping Award,' that underscore the alignment of TMS with the blue economy goals of the UAE's wise leadership and reward those companies and individuals making exceptional contributions toward achieving these important national goals. 'The UAE's commitment to developing a sustainable blue economy, including advancements in maritime transport and renewable energy, is strongly reflected throughout the Awards, with nominees across all categories required to highlight their contributions to environmental protection and decarbonisation,' Trevor said. The TMS Awards have undertaken several initiatives to spotlight emerging talent and support the next generation of maritime industry leaders, including the introduction of categories such as the 'Maritime Education and Training Award.' They have also partnered with several vessel operators to facilitate cadetship opportunities for young individuals. A particularly impactful initiative involves inviting various regional colleges and institutions to nominate candidates for the 'Cadet of the Year,' which offers instant recognition as the top cadet, and the opportunity to be awarded a contract on stage. Delivered in collaboration with Kuwait Oil Tanker Company (KOTC), the initiative aims to encourage greater participation and promote excellence across the maritime sector. The Awards also feature the 'Young Person In Shipping' category, which recognises and celebrates emerging talent in the industry, and the 'Woman in Shipping Award,' which aims to address gender imbalance in the industry by acknowledging the outstanding contributions of a new generation of female leaders and encourage young women to pursue careers in shipping and maritime. While these awards provide strong recognition, Trevor highlights that participation in related industry events can further provide platforms for networking and delivering targeted content designed to help maritime companies remain competitive and stay abreast of ongoing technical and commercial trends. Notable among these are the TMS Tanker Conference, taking place on October 30 at the Atlantis, which will address key technical developments in tanker shipping; the TMS Transportation and Climate Change Conference, scheduled for September 25 at the Saadiyat Rotana Resort in Abu Dhabi, with a strong focus on new technologies enabling decarbonisation of transportation; the TMS Ship Finance and Trade Conference (SFTC), set for February 2026 in Dubai; and the TMS Golf Classic, held the day after SFTC. As the maritime sector continues to evolve at pace, The Maritime Standard Awards remain a vital platform for recognising excellence, fostering innovation, and promoting sustainability. Through its expanding range of categories, strategic partnerships, and commitment to nurturing future talent, the Awards not only celebrate past achievements but also help shape the industry's future. With the 2025 edition set to raise the bar even higher, TMS aims to continue driving progress across the regional and global maritime landscape.
Malay Mail
09-05-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
Bridging gaps for a resilient maritime future — Marhaini Mohd Noor, Mohammad Tariqur Rahman
MAY 9 — Malaysian maritime cybersecurity has experienced episodes of cyberattacks. Vulnerability in maritime cybersecurity affects the productivity of the nation's critical economic sector. Several issues have been discovered as key contributing factors to the instability in cybersecurity. While having the advantage of strategic geographic positioning as a maritime hub in the region, the density of shipping traffic and critical shipping lanes expose the seaports, logistics networks, and shipping systems to cyberattacks. The aspiration for the integrated seaport ecosystems targeting key seaports in Malaysia to ensure smooth integrated operations as well as fluidity in customs procedures opens a room for a malfunction of the system, mostly due to its structural and operational complexity. It not only results in compromised efficiency but also opens the door for cyberattacks. Inescapably, owing to digitization and the demand for an integrated smart port, dependence on potentially insecure artificial intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) devices adds to the vulnerability of maritime cybersecurity and harms the productivity of the entire maritime operation. The digital transformation, accompanied by cybersecurity attacks, has emerged as a significant concern for maritime supply chain network agents. The Lloyd Register- a technical and professional services organisation and a maritime classification society - has documented an alarming surge in cyberattacks over the last ten years, with an annual increase of 27 per cent. A lack of readiness of the maritime workers who are yet to be trained for cybersecurity awareness has contributed to the maritime vulnerability to cyberattacks. Inadequate cybersecurity awareness and training make them inefficient at recognizing, stopping, or reacting to cyber threats. Finally, a lack of standardized cybersecurity policies, enforcement mechanisms among stakeholders, and legislative gaps and fragmentation make it difficult to coordinate and implement measures effectively. Hence, a multi-stakeholder approach that integrates technology, policy, and capacity building is necessary to provide a robust maritime cybersecurity framework. Albeit Malaysia has put in place many laws and guidelines relevant to its maritime industry, with a strong basis for maritime cybersecurity in the current regulations. However, regular updates, cooperation from stakeholders, and strict enforcement are necessary for them to be effective. Despite having the guidelines and compliance checks by Malaysia's Marine Department and port authorities as the main methods of enforcement, stakeholders differ in how they implement them. Malaysia's cybersecurity training and enforcement have room for improvement following the examples of those in Singapore, the United States, and Norway. While strengthening its cybersecurity skill pool through national initiatives and partnerships, the majority of training in Malaysia concentrates on general IT rather than requirements unique to the maritime industry. Malaysia has put in place many laws and guidelines relevant to its maritime industry, with a strong basis for maritime cybersecurity in the current regulations. However, regular updates, cooperation from stakeholders, and strict enforcement are necessary for them to be effective. — Reuters pic Because it has a lower tech profile and fewer opportunities for specialised education, the marine industry has trouble luring top personnel. There are still gaps in areas like infrastructure, training, and readiness, especially in smaller businesses and lesser-known ports, even though Malaysian ports and shipping corporations are making progress in implementing contemporary cybersecurity measures. Important practices for managing information security system may include developing computational tools for risk management; implementing detection–blocking techniques to restrict network access to authorized systems; securing email accounts with multi-factor authentication; installing physical barriers, surveillance cameras, and rapid-response alarm systems; having advanced antivirus software; managing RFID usage to protect the personal data; and using VPNs on remote working laptops. Additionally, establishing international collaboration among maritime stakeholders with aligned risk perceptions, a certification authority to oversee the creation of pseudonyms for ship maritime mobile service identity, a risk assessment library to share mitigating measures and risk experiences, and a 'port cyber resilience officer' portfolio can play a critical role in maritime cybersecurity. In Summary, to adequately prepare for massive cyberattacks, the sector needs improved system integration, more standardized training programs, increased cooperation, and more robust regulatory enforcement. Investing more in highly qualified workers and cutting-edge technology would be essential to enhancing Malaysia's maritime industry's overall cybersecurity resilience. * Dr Marhaini Mohd Noor is Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Maritime Studies, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu; while Professor Dr. Mohammad Tariqur Rahman is the Executive Director (Development, Research and Innovation) at the International Institute of Public Policy and Management (INPUMA), Universiti Malaya * This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.
