Highlights of the 14th General Assembly of the Arab Federation of Shipping, held at the National Navigation Company headquarters in Cairo on May 21, 2026.
The session was chaired by Mr./ Mohamed Soliman Metwally, President of the Federation, in the presence of maritime industry leaders and representatives from the League of Arab States and the Council of Arab Economic Unity. The video showcases strategic discussions among industry leaders regarding current geopolitical challenges, foremost among them the severe repercussions of the Strait of Hormuz closure crisis on supply chains, operational costs, and the flow of global trade.
The assembly also featured specialized academic and technical presentations; Prof. Dr./ Sarah El Gazzar – Dean of the College of International Transport & Logistics – Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport (AASTMT), Alexandria reviewed the operational and commercial dimensions of the crisis and its impact on the record surge in marine fuel prices and war risk insurance premiums.
Furthermore, Prof. Dr./ Moustafa Rashid – Assistant President of the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport (AASTMT) for Arab Affairs addressed the global regulatory shifts for marine environmental protection and their implications on the Arab sector, leading up to the technical presentation delivered by economic researcher Moamen Abdelkawy on the utilization of machine learning applications in forecasting dry bulk freight rates.
The events covered the institutional outcomes of the Federation, including the approval of the financial balance sheet for 2025 and the estimated budget for 2026. The assembly also praised the expansion of the membership base following the joining of new members over the past year, emphasizing the continued activation of strategic memorandums of understanding and work protocols with the Islamic P&I Club ,and the American Bureau of Shipping ABS, alongside highlighting the Federation’s role as an informational umbrella via its electronic portal through periodic reports, such as the weekly ship fuel price report and the quarterly fleet development report.
This assembly is part of the Federation’s continuous efforts and pursuit, as emphasized by the Federation’s President in his closing remarks, to transform current challenges into strategic opportunities, ensuring the sustainability and development of Arab fleets
