April 4, 2017. Dubai, United Arab Emirates: In keeping with its long-standing efforts to develop, regulate, and enhance the maritime sector, the Dubai Maritime City Authority (DMCA) recently launched the ‘Maritime Signage Design and Guidelines’ available in both Arabic and English. The guidelines serve as an integrated framework for implementation of uniform standards in designing and placing of signage, safety boards, and guiding arrows off Dubai waters, including coasts and waterways, according to best international practices. By launching the guidelines, the DMCA aims to ensure maritime safety in local maritime community and enhance Dubai’s maritime competitiveness at both regional and international levels.

DMCA’s Executive Director Amer Ali said that the ‘Maritime Signage Design and Guidelines’ forms parts of the DMCA’s commitment to achieve maritime safety, secure navigation, and operational efficiency in Dubai in line with local requirements and international laws. He also emphasized the importance of implementing standardized and well-defined mechanisms in terms of designing safety signage and boards in line with best maritime practices. It will boost all diligent efforts undertaken to build a modern and secure local maritime sector to make Dubai one of the world’s most recognized and competitive maritime destinations.

Ali added: “Our role is to improve our maritime safety procedures to enhance the trust of vessel owners and regional and international investors in the local maritime community. We also strive to improve the competitiveness of our maritime clusters as part of our bid to develop, regulate, and strengthen the sector as well as increase their contributions to Dubai’s economic development according to the directives of our leaders. We are confident that the new guidelines will help us move forward towards our goal of providing clear boards and signage. Maritime safety is one of Dubai’s competitive advantages and the key to our efforts to position the emirate as a leading maritime destination in the world.”

Furthermore, the guidelines contain uniform standards for maritime signage designs based on the highest international standards and are applicable to all areas being managed by the DMCA, individuals, or private companies. They provide information on optimum use and sound execution of instructions to protect the lives and ensure the safety of all users of waterways. The new system sets out a number of practices that aim to provide clear instructions on how to improve safety procedures and facilitate secure navigation, taking into consideration the different needs of commercial vessels owners, maritime freight companies, water users, seafarers, abras passengers, cruisers, tourists, and beachgoers. 

Ali Al Daboos, DMCA’s Executive Director for Operations, also said: “The ‘Maritime Signage Design and Guidelines’ includes comprehensive and detailed criteria on how to design the safety boards and signage, guiding arrows, positioning arrows, illustrating images and graphics for ships and water sports, in addition to various forms of waves, public interface diagrams, functional charts, no-go area boards, emergency exit signs, fire and emergency signs, instruction signs, warning images, and other compulsory signs. It also includes guidelines on reading distance, ship and vessel speed, while maintaining and enhancing maximum visibility of messages that need to be conveyed.”

In addition, the DMCA distributes the guide free of charge to all waterfront establishments in Dubai, marinas, marine clubs, and other concerned organizations.