Saudi Maritime Awards 2026 Launch Successfully in Jeddah

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – 29 January 2026 – The inaugural Saudi Maritime Awards (SMA) 2026 successfully took place in Jeddah, honoring leaders, innovators, and decision-makers in the maritime industry from across the Middle East, North Africa, the Eastern Mediterranean, and globally.

Held at The Ritz-Carlton Jeddah, the event was organized by Robban Assafina in strategic partnership with the Transport General Authority (TGA), under the patronage of H.E. Eng. Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser, Minister of Transport and Logistics Services. The event was officially sponsored by Mutual Marine Services – Al Mushtaraka Group and NorthStandard.

The ceremony brought together senior government officials, maritime authorities, industry executives, and regional leaders to recognize outstanding performance, innovation, and leadership across shipping, ports, logistics, offshore activities, and related sectors. The event underscored Saudi Arabia’s growing leadership role in regional and global maritime affairs.

Insights from Maritime Leaders

The ceremony opened with a warm welcome to all attendees, marking the official launch of the Saudi Maritime Awards 2026. The program began with remarks from H.E. Eng. Essam M. Alammari, Deputy for Maritime Transport at the Transport General Authority (TGA), representing H.E. Dr. Rumaih Al-Rumaih, Deputy Minister of Transport and Logistics Services and Acting President of TGA. He welcomed distinguished guests, government officials, and maritime industry leaders, emphasizing the strategic importance of the Saudi Maritime Awards as a national platform.

He noted that the awards support excellence, foster innovation, and encourage measurable performance across the maritime sector, reflecting the Kingdom’s vision for a competitive, efficient, and future-ready maritime ecosystem aligned with Saudi Vision 2030.

Eng. Alammari also highlighted Saudi Arabia’s expanding leadership in the regional and global maritime industry through port modernization, maritime regulation, logistics integration, and sustainability initiatives. He further noted the Kingdom’s active engagement in international maritime governance, including its re-election to the IMO Council, reinforcing Saudi Arabia’s role as a trusted global partner and strategic maritime hub connecting continents and markets.

Following Eng. Alammari, Captain Haytham Chaaban, CEO of Robban Assafina, opened his address by warmly welcoming H.E. Eng. Essam Alammari, representing Dr. Rumaih Al-Rumaih, while also greeting distinguished guests, honored officials, and esteemed maritime leaders.

He began by emphasizing the purpose of the event:

“It is both an honour and a great pleasure to welcome you to this prestigious celebration, the Saudi Maritime Awards 2026. Tonight, we gather to recognize leadership, achievement, and measurable contribution across the maritime industry within the Kingdom and globally.”

Captain Chaaban highlighted Saudi Arabia’s maritime heritage and Jeddah’s historical significance as a strategic port city. He noted that Saudi Vision 2030 is transforming ports, logistics, and maritime connectivity into key enablers of economic diversification and global trade.

He also praised Saudi Arabia’s re-election to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Council for 2026–2027, describing it as a reflection of international confidence in the Kingdom’s maritime governance and leadership.
Importantly, Captain Chaaban stated:

“The Saudi Maritime Awards are founded on transparency, structured evaluation, and credibility, recognizing organizations and individuals that deliver safer operations, stronger compliance, innovation, sustainability, and resilient supply chains.”

Following Captain Chaaban, Mr. Hassan Omar Badhaidooh, CEO of Mutual Marine Services Al-Mushtaraka Ltd., addressed the attendees, welcoming distinguished guests, officials, and international participants.

He highlighted the Kingdom’s national direction and strategic vision:

“Under the leadership of His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia has set a new global benchmark for a national vision,”
noting that this vision has “unlocked global opportunities” and strengthened the Kingdom’s global presence.

Mr. Badhaidooh further added that the ceremony reflects a shared commitment to excellence, innovation, and the bright future of maritime logistics and services in the Kingdom and across the region. He also praised the Ministry of Transport for creating “an essential platform for recognition and inspiration.”

He noted the broader message of the event:

“By championing this event, you send a clear message: you believe in nurturing talent, rewarding innovation, and advancing the collective progress of our industry, which will no doubt place our maritime sector at even greater heights on the global stage.”

He concluded by congratulating the award winners and organizers, wishing continued achievement, safety, and sustainable growth for the maritime sector.

SMA 2026: Success and Future Outlook

The awards featured 29 categories, recognizing individuals and companies demonstrating exceptional commitment, impactful contributions, and outstanding performance across shipping, ports, logistics, maritime services, shipbuilding, offshore activities, innovation, and sustainability.

The successful launch of SMA 2026 establishes the awards as a premier annual platform for celebrating excellence, strengthening cooperation, and supporting continued maritime growth. The next Saudi Maritime Awards Night is scheduled for 25 March 2027, reaffirming the Kingdom’s commitment to fostering innovation and advancing regional and global maritime collaboration.

Award Winners
The Saudi Maritime Awards 2026 featured 29 award categories, recognizing maritime personalities and companies that demonstrated exceptional commitment, impactful contributions, and outstanding performance across shipping, ports, logistics, maritime services, shipbuilding, offshore activities, innovation, and sustainability.

In the results, the following companies and personalities were honored across the 29 award categories:

Saudi Maritime Awards – Winners