Riyadh hosted on Sunday the inaugural Saudi International Maritime Forum 2019, bringing together military and civilian leaderships and companies to discuss global maritime security.
The three-day SIM2019 is sponsored by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, and inaugurated by military chief of staff Gen. Fayyad bin Hamed Al-Ruwaili.
The forum will witness a series of seminars and discussion groups to analyze regional maritime security in a global context. It will also address threats, opportunities, emerging issues and legal and commercial difficulties that challenge international institutions and alliances and individual states.
Commander of the Royal Saudi Naval Forces, Fahad bin Abdullah Al-Ghofaily said the forum is taking place amid threats to marine routes in the region.
This demands cooperation to secure them, he demanded, while highlighting Saudi Arabia’s role in bolstering international security and peace.
He cited the danger posed by the Iran-backed Houthi militias in Yemen that have threatened to shut strategic straits and have used booby-trapped vessels to target ships.
Ghofaily said the Saudi navy plays a major role in preserving the security of strategic marine routes through global efforts, such as joining the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) that safeguards oil tankers.
Moreover, he said the navy’s area of operation secures the most strategic routes in the Arabian Gulf, Arab Sea and Red Sea.
The Saudi International Maritime Forum was established by the Royal Saudi Naval Forces with the aim of becoming the framework for a series of maritime forums and discussions over the coming years.
The conference also features an exhibition of the latest maritime technology, equipment and systems provided by industry representatives and SIM Sponsors.
