Continuing its work with the international maritime and arbitration communities, the Emirates Maritime Arbitration Centre, EMAC, presented its White Paper on 'The Benefits of Emac to the Middle East Region, Its Advantages Over Other Alternatives for Maritime and Trade Communities' during the 20th International Congress of Maritime Arbitration, ICMA XX, held from 25th to 29th September in Copenhagen.

EMAC’s participation at the event this year was complimented by the submission of a White Paper, authored by Ms. Maali Khader, EMAC case manager, which was presented during the National Arbitration Legislation and Institutions session. The publication delves into EMAC’s role and contribution to the Middle East region by comparison to the services provided by other centres, including the Singapore Chamber of Maritime Arbitration (SCMA), the Vancouver Maritime Arbitrators Association (VMAA), the Society of Maritime Arbitrators in New York (SMA), and the London Maritime Arbitrators Association (LMAA).

"In the centre’s first year, the Emirates Maritime Arbitration Centre team has worked hard to showcase Dubai’s place as a global hub for the maritime sector and its capability to manage maritime specific alternate dispute resolution practices," Fatema Khamis Al Masrouei, U.A.E. Ambassador to Denmark, said. "I would like to extend my deepest thanks to the Danish Institute for Arbitration for hosting this successful and informative event for the global maritime arbitration sector."

"One of the main objectives of EMAC since inception has been the development and implementation of rules and processes allowing for effective and timely arbitration through a light-touch case management approach whilst permitting fast-track and emergency arbitration." said Majid Obaid bin Bashir, Acting Chairman and Secretary General, EMAC. "Our White Paper shows how we’ve taken the learnings from other global maritime arbitration centres and applied them to the development and implementation of our services."

The centre continues to explore opportunities for collaboration and whilst in Copenhagen met with key executives from BIMCO before taking to a meeting with the Maersk legal team as part of its awareness campaign.

"The legal, arbitration and mediation sectors are constantly evolving thanks to the development and implementation of new practices and legislation. Platforms such as ICMA are a great way for the community to come together to learn from their peers, but also look for opportunities to work together for the benefit of the international sector," bin Bashir concluded.