Six of the leading figures in port operations in the Emirates are: Mohammed al-Shamsi, Peter Richards, Sultan bin Sulayem, Tamer Masoud, Sheikh Khaled bin Abdullah al-Qasimi and Colin Crookshank
Mohammed al-Shamsi
Position: Vice-president, ports operations, Abu Dhabi Ports Company (ADPC)
Biography: Having graduated with an applied science and navigational studies degree from the Australian Maritime College in Tasmania, Mohammed al-Shamsi obtained a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Tasmania. Before joining ADPC in 2008, Al-Shamsi worked for Dubai-based shipping company Gulf Energy Maritime, where he was in charge of a building programme for 11 double-hull chemical tankers. He is presently closely involved with the design and development of Khalifa Port in Abu Dhabi, which is due to open in 2012, and plays a key role in the implementation of the Abu Dhabi Maritime Strategy. Al-Shamsi is a board member of Abu Dhabi Terminals, and since January 2009 has been an interim board member of Emirates Ports Company, which will manage container and breakbulk terminals at Khalifa Port.
Contact: (+971) 2 695 2449
Peter Richards
Position: Group managing director, Gulftainer Group
Biography: Peter Richards is a qualified master mariner with a degree in nautical science. He also holds a diploma in port management from Kent University in the UK. Richards joined Sharjah-based Gulftainer in 1987 and has worked there in various roles within the group, including general manager, operations manager, terminal manager and operations superintendent, before becoming group director in February 2010. He has 11 years of seagoing experience and 22 years of experience in the operation and management of ports and container terminals. Besides
being a board member of Gulftainer,
Richards is also on the board of Momentum Logistics UAE. Gulftainer recorded a
9.9 per cent increase in the volume of cargo
passing through Sharjah Container
Terminal and Khorfakkan Container Terminal in 2009.
Contact: (+971) 6 572 4201
Sultan bin Sulayem
Position: Chairman, DP World
Biography: Sultan bin Sulayem is currently chairman of state-owned ports group DP World. Born in the UAE, Bin Sulayem graduated with a degree in economics from the US’ Temple University in Philadelphia. He has led DP World’s overseas expansion, supervising the purchase of the UK’s P&O group for $6.8bn in March 2006, making it the world’s fourth largest port operator – DP World currently has a network of 49 terminals in 27 countries. He was also centrally involved in the development of Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza) into a business park of 6,000 companies and established its global arm, Jafza International. Bin Sulayem is chairman of the Dubai Ports, Customs & Free Zone Corporation. He sits on a number of boards, including the executive council of Dubai’s government, the board of the executive economic council and the board of Dubai Chamber of Commerce.
Contact: (+971) 4 881 5555
Tamer Masoud
Position: Harbour master, Port of Fujairah
Biography: Tamer Masoud holds a degree in naval science and is a master mariner and a nautical surveyor. With more than 40 years’ marine experience, he has spent 12 years at sea with the Egyptian navy, two years as a master of special support vessels, nine years as a harbour pilot and 18 years as harbour master. In 1992, Masoud become harbour master of the Port of Fujairah, where he has an active role in developing the port. His principal aims are to expand the Port of Fujairah’s oil terminals, bulk terminal, tug fleet and Fujairah offshore anchorage area. The Port of Fujairah is also scheduled to commission the first phase of a second multi-berth oil terminal at the port in September. Masoud’s responsibility also extends to Dibba seaport and he is a member of several international and regional associations related to the fields of port safety, security and environmental protection.
Contact: (+971) 9 222 8800
Sheikh Khaled bin Abdullah al-Qasimi
Position: Chairman, Sharjah Seaports & Customs
Biography: Sheikh Khaled bin Abdullah al-Qasimi is chairman of Sharjah’s Department of Seaports & Customs and the Hamriyah Free Zone in Sharjah. He heads three different sections within the department, comprising the Seaports Authority, Sharjah Customs and Hamriyah Free Zone Authority. Sheikh Khaled is the driving force behind the development of the emirate’s ports, through projects such as the upgrade of Port Khalid, the first container terminal in the region. The emirate of Sharjah has two ports: Khalid on the Gulf coast and Khorfakkan on the Indian Ocean coast. The Port of Khorfakkan currently has four berths, with 14 container gantry cranes and shore-side handling equipment. Sheikh Khaled is overseeing a berth extension project to increase cargo-handling capacity, in a bid to compete for business with other regional ports.
Contact: (+971) 6 528 2216
Colin Crookshank
Position: General manager, Saqr Port Authority, Ras al-Khaimah
Biography: Colin Crookshank holds a number of senior positions in the ports sector in the UAE emirate of Ras al-Khaimah, besides being general manager of Saqr port, a post he took up in August 2009. Crookshank is also responsible for the operations of RAK Maritime City, Al-Jazeera Port and Al-Jeer Port. Before joining Saqr Port, Crookshank worked first as a pilot at Shoreham Port in the UK, becoming the port’s deputy harbour master, then harbour master in 2000, and eventually deputy chief executive officer. With more than 35 years’ experience in deep-sea shipping, dredging, port and marine operations, pilotage and port management, Crookshank is a master mariner and served in the Merchant Marine. He has overseen the development of RAK Maritime City, where marine operations are due to start in the first quarter of this year.
Contact: (+971) 7 266 8444
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