In a strategic move that goes beyond the limits of regional aspirations, Bahrain witnessed the signing of 3 pivotal cooperation agreements between the Arab Company for Building and Reforming Ships (family) and the Abu Dhabi Ports Group, under the auspices of His Highness Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, representative of His Majesty the King for Humanitarian Works and Youth Affairs, Chairman of the Board of “Babco Enege”, may God protect him.
These agreements are not just papers signed, but rather a clear announcement of an ambitious vision of the future of Bahrain as a pioneering regional center for sustainable marine industries and services, and a gateway to achieve qualitative leaps in the national economy.
The maximum importance of this initiative lies in its ability to bring about a fundamental shift in the Bahraini economic scene, as the establishment of a joint company to manage dry basins and shipbuilding, cooperation in managing and operating ports, and establishing facilities for recycling ships with environmentally friendly methods, constitutes the basic pillars of a prosperous, sustainable and conservative sea economy as well. These steps are not traditional, but rather touch the essence of the circular economy, as the waste turns into resources, and enhances efficiency in the use of energy and materials, which reduces the carbon footprint, and protects the marine environment that is the basis of Bahrain, its history and future.
These agreements have multi -faceted returns, and contact each corner of economic development, as they achieve the goal of maximizing national economic returns by attracting foreign direct investments and expanding the scope of marine services, while achieving a flow of capital to Bahrain, as well as modern technologies that have recently emerged in many areas, and these partnerships contribute to establishing Bahrain’s position as a logistical and regional center, where it will make the Kingdom a point Ideal launch for marine operations in the region.
There can be new projects except accompanied by employment operations for national cadres, which is what His Highness Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa focuses on. In these agreements, regular and innovative job opportunities are created, because the fields of dry ponds management, building, maintenance and reform of ships, and recycling, are projects that achieve great growth with thousands of new jobs for Bahraini youth in accurate technical, engineering and administrative specializations.
This growth will not be limited to direct functions, but will extend to the supply chains and support services, such as logistical services, maritime insurance, and vocational training, which creates an integrated and supportive work environment. This also means a qualitative development in national skills by transferring international knowledge and experiences, which raises the competitiveness of Bahraini cadres in the global labor market.
The focus of His Highness Sheikh Nasser on building a sustainable economy based on knowledge and innovation, while integrating the concepts of the circular economy, is what distinguishes these initiatives, and makes it a role model in the region, and therefore I see in these agreements that they are not just commercial contracts, but rather an investment in the future of Bahrain, and a testimony that the Kingdom is moving steadily towards achieving its economic vision 2030, and to prove its ability to be a sea center that leads the region towards the region towards the region A more prosperous and sustainable blue economy.
* Captain – Editor -in -chief of the English newspaper “Daily Tribune”
