DSAA Brings UAE Perspective to FONASBA Global Maritime Corridors Discussion
Dubai Shipping Agents Association (DSAA), represented by General Manager Ghaya AlMansoori, joined maritime experts from across Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Europe for FONASBA’s webinar, “Global Maritime Corridors: From Disruption to Practical Solutions.”
The session examined how the maritime industry is responding to disrupted trade routes, constrained capacity and shifting logistics networks, bringing together perspectives spanning maritime law, the Panama Canal, the Cape of Good Hope, Egypt, the UAE and global energy markets.
01 — THE DISCUSSION
From disruption to practical solutions
Across the different regions, one message was consistent: rerouting a vessel or identifying an alternative port is only one part of maintaining supply-chain continuity.
Effective alternatives depend on the wider ecosystem surrounding them — customs procedures, inland connectivity, terminal capacity, documentation, logistics providers and coordination between public and private-sector stakeholders.
Representing DSAA and the UAE shipping agency community, Ghaya AlMansoori, General Manager of DSAA, shared the UAE experience of adapting to disruption through alternative gateways, regulatory flexibility and coordinated stakeholder action.
She highlighted the use of alternative gateways including Khor Fakkan and Fujairah, supported by temporary customs facilitation and bonded inland transport for cargo destined for Dubai.
The discussion also covered the Dubai–Oman Green Corridor, which expanded alternative connectivity for inbound and outbound cargo movements through coordinated customs and land-transport arrangements.
Drawing on the UAE experience, AlMansoori highlighted three elements underpinning effective maritime resilience: infrastructure, regulatory agility and stakeholder collaboration.
01 Infrastructure | 02 Regulatory Agility | 03 Stakeholder Collaboration |
02 — THE INDUSTRY
The changing role of the ship agent
A wider theme emerging from the webinar was the evolving role of shipping agents.
The Panama Canal experience demonstrated how capacity constraints increasingly require agents to understand reservation systems, evaluate alternatives and advise principals well in advance of a vessel’s arrival.
Similarly, diversions around the Cape of Good Hope have increased demand for bunkering, repairs, provisioning, crew services and other maritime support, while experiences from Egypt highlighted the importance of ports, dry ports, rail connections, feeder services and multimodal corridors in maintaining connectivity.
Together, these examples point to a broader evolution: the ship agent is increasingly moving beyond transaction and documentation towards operational coordination and strategic advice.
03 — DSAA’S VIEW
Resilience requires coordination
For DSAA, the discussion reinforced an important lesson from the UAE experience: infrastructure alone does not create resilience.
Alternative gateways become effective when customs authorities, ports, shipping lines, agents, freight forwarders and logistics providers are able to coordinate their respective roles and adapt as operating conditions change.
This reflects DSAA’s continuing work to facilitate structured engagement between its members, maritime stakeholders and relevant authorities on operational challenges and longer-term industry resilience.
“Resilience is built before disruption, but it is demonstrated through collaboration when disruption arrives.” — Ghaya AlMansoori, General Manager, DSAA |
04 — WHAT’S NEXT
Looking ahead
The international discussion also highlighted the wider impact of maritime disruption on energy and specialised commodity supply chains, alongside the growing importance of advance planning, reliable information and a broader understanding of interconnected logistics networks.
As global trade routes continue to evolve, the webinar reinforced a clear message for the maritime community: preparedness depends not only on having alternative routes, but on having the relationships, systems and operational knowledge required to activate them.
DSAA thanks FONASBA and the participating experts for bringing together regional experiences and practical perspectives from across the global maritime community. |
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