Employees including first Emirati woman receive leading international IALA Certification

The distinction contributes to Abu Dhabi’s strategically growing maritime sector and increases ports’ international competiveness 

Abu Dhabi - UAE, September 5, 2016:   Abu Dhabi Ports is now one of nine organisations, and the first of its kind in the UAE, accredited by the International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation & Lighthouse Authorities (IALA) worldwide. The Company is also licensed from the UAE Federal Transport Authority, contributing to Abu Dhabi’s growth as a global maritime hub and centre of excellence. Abu Dhabi Marine Services (Safeen) – an operating unit of Abu Dhabi Ports, offering a full range of navigation and harbour services to the ports and its customers – has been delivering cutting-edge Aids to Navigation (AtoN) training courses and granting completion certificates to employees. This attests to the quality and expertise of critical support services offered to shipping companies and vessels across Abu Dhabi.

Safeen employees – including the first Emirati female employee – received certificates of AtoN Level-2 training based on IALA Level-2 Model Courses, the highest internationally accredited navigational standard. The training assimilation in Safeen was evaluated via written and oral examinations conducted by IALA accredited instructor, Captain AbdulAziz Al Hammadi, Senior Navigation Service Manager at Safeen. Additionally, Abu Dhabi Ports plans to offer this professionally accredited course to entities that provide maritime and offshore services.

Commenting on this achievement, Mr. Maktoum Al Houqani, Chief Marine Services Officer of Safeen, said: “We are the first in the region to offer this course, which goes to show our keen commitment to training and developing qualified staff at Safeen, in line with international maritime standards, to ensure best value for our clients.”

Elaborating on the training course, Capt. AbdulAziz Al Hammadi, Senior Navigation Service Manager at Safeen and the certified instructor in the region to deliver IALA’s Level-2 training course, added: “The accreditation our training centre received by IALA is testament to our commitment to delivering the highest quality maritime training and positions us competitively in the region. It has been an exciting experience having served as a certified instructor of IALA and witnessing the first Emirati woman to receive the IALA Level-2 certification in the UAE, Ms. Sahar Rasti, Safeen’s Navigation Services Coordinator, has been particularly rewarding.”

Expressing her enthusiasm, Ms. Sahar Rasti said, “I am extremely honoured to be the first woman to work in Safeen at Abu Dhabi Ports and the first to receive the IALA Level-2 certification in the UAE. Maritime is a sector commonly known to be dominated by men and it gives me great pride to demonstrate that women in the UAE are fully capable of not only working, but excelling in any field with the support of our leadership.”

Safeen’s navigation department manages an impressive 1,198 buoys and beacons over 52 channels and waterways, covering a span of 472 kilometres across Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi Ports’ Training Department has provided training to a number of entities and is looking to train their employees in AtoN Level-2 courses.

IALA is an 80-member-country organisation representing navigation services and interests worldwide. IALA publishes module courses for AtoN (Aids to Navigation) Training. Level 1 is designed for management, and Level 2 is designed for technicians.