Dubai Maritime Authority launches 2026 marine safety awareness drive
Dubai Maritime Authority launches a 2026 marine safety campaign, mandating 514 licensed operators to show educational safety clips to renters and passengers.
The Dubai Maritime Authority has launched a new marine safety awareness initiative as part of its 2026 campaign aimed at reducing risks and accidents at sea. The authority, operating within the Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation, produced a series of visual safety clips to raise awareness among renters, jet-ski users and passengers of floating restaurants. The campaign is being distributed across more than 514 licensed maritime companies and establishments in Dubai to ensure consistent messaging for all sea users.
Launch and scope of the 2026 campaign
The campaign formally instructs licensed maritime operators to present the authority’s approved safety material to clients before and during voyages. The directive covers a broad range of users, including people who rent boats, operate watercraft and those who travel on floating dining venues. By centralising the content and its delivery, the authority aims to standardise safety guidance across Dubai’s busy coastal and marine leisure sectors.
The materials were produced by the Dubai Maritime Authority using contemporary audiovisual methods designed to capture attention and convey clear, actionable advice. Operators are required to integrate the clips into their customer-facing touchpoints, ensuring that passengers and renters receive guidance on preventive measures. The authority has issued a formal circular making the display of the approved materials mandatory for all licensed entities.
Target audiences and industry reach
The campaign specifically targets individuals most exposed to day-to-day marine activity in Dubai, namely renters of marine vessels, personal watercraft users and patrons of floating restaurants. These groups represent a large portion of recreational sea traffic in the emirate and have historically been associated with varied safety outcomes. By focusing on these segments, authorities expect to address common gaps in awareness and routine practice.
More than 514 maritime businesses and facilities licensed in Dubai will receive the visual content package and guidance on implementation. The outreach to such a wide network intends to create uniformity in safety messaging across commercial and leisure operations. Operators that serve the public are now being held to a clear communications standard as part of the authority’s broader regulatory oversight.
Mandatory compliance for licensed operators
A regulatory circular issued by the Dubai Maritime Authority obliges licensed businesses to display the approved safety clips to their customers. The measure requires operators to present the educational material as part of pre-departure briefings or on-board safety presentations. Failure to comply with the directive may subject operators to enforcement action under existing maritime safety regulations.
The mandatory display aims to remove reliance on inconsistent or ad hoc messaging while ensuring that all water-users receive the same baseline information. Authorities say the step will make inspections and compliance assessments more straightforward, as regulators will be able to verify whether approved materials are being shown. The move aligns with the authority’s responsibility to oversee commercial and recreational maritime activity in the emirate.
Content approach and preventive messaging
The audiovisual content was developed to communicate preventative practices in a concise and accessible manner, emphasising behaviours that reduce risk at sea. The clips use clear visuals and practical instructions to reinforce safe conduct during common marine activities. The authority designed the materials to be usable in multiple formats so operators can display them across different platforms and devices.
Messages in the campaign underscore routine precautions, safe operating behaviours and the importance of following operator briefings, with the aim of embedding a culture of safety among sea users. The authority has also provided guidance to operators on how and when to present the clips so that they complement existing safety briefings rather than replace them. This layered approach is intended to reinforce key practices through repetition and visual reinforcement.
Officials’ statements and strategic objectives
Hamed Hasan, director of Marine Registration at the Dubai Maritime Authority, said the initiative reflects the authority’s continued commitment to enhancing maritime safety in the emirate. He noted that the authority is developing innovative awareness tools aligned with global best practices to support safer operations at sea. The campaign is presented as part of a broader strategy to reduce incidents and protect both residents and visitors who use Dubai’s waters for recreation and commerce.
Officials emphasise that raising awareness is not a substitute for enforcement but a complementary tool that helps prevent incidents before they occur. By combining mandatory informational requirements with existing oversight, the authority expects to achieve measurable reductions in risk exposure. Stakeholders in the maritime sector have been engaged to ensure the materials are practical and applicable across varied operational contexts.
The campaign will be monitored through compliance checks and industry feedback to assess its effectiveness over time. The authority plans to review implementation outcomes and adjust the content or delivery methods as necessary to maintain relevance and impact.
The rollout requires licensed maritime operators in Dubai to begin presenting the approved safety clips to their customers, as stipulated in the circular, and the authority says it will follow up to ensure adherence. This coordinated effort aims to strengthen safety practices across Dubai’s maritime leisure and commercial sectors and to protect those who use the emirate’s waters for work or recreation.