RAK Ruler issues law on licensing, operation of marine means of transport

RAS AL KHAIMAH/ WAM

H.H. Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, issued a law on the licensing and operation of marine means of transport in the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah.
Law No. 13 of 2023 grants the Ras Al Khaimah Transport Authority the powers and competencies to license and regulate the marine transport system in the emirate.
The law clearly defines the authority’s responsibilities and competencies that ensure the achievement of the purpose of the maritime transport system in the emirate and the tasks entrusted to it, which include developing a comprehensive plan for the marine transport system and all related construction works ; approving development programmes and projects ; and supervising their execution in cooperation with the relevant authorities.
The laws also includes the procedures of planning the networks and routes of marine transport, the sites for marine activities, the sites for the construction of marine berths and their storage places, and defines the technical standards and specifications for marine means, berths, and stations as well as supervising the systems, means, operators, and crews of maritime transport, including supervising all the activities and events that may affect marine traffic within the emirate’s territorial waters, and training, qualifying, and licensing the crews of marine means of transport.
The law also defines the authority’s responsibility to inspect all marine means of transport and stations to ensure their safety and to verify compliance with the relevant environmental standards and requirements, in addition to creating a comprehensive database for marine transport services within the emirate in order to prepare specialist studies to develop and improve the service, as well as holding training courses to qualify the crews of marine means of transport in cooperation with the relevant authorities.