Mr. Mohammed Mustafa Itani, Secretary-General of the Arab Federation of Chamber of Shipping, participated in an introductory workshop organized by the Lebanese Parliament in collaboration with the Maritime Sciences and Technology Institute (MARSATI).
Titled “Developing the Legislative and Institutional Framework for Maritime Transport in Lebanon,” the workshop gathered prominent ministers and MPs, including Minister of Public Works and Transport Fayez Rassamni, Minister of Justice Adel Nassar, parliamentary committee heads, and maritime specialists. Christine Zaatar Maalouf, Director General of Foreign Affairs in the Parliament, opened the workshop by emphasizing the symbolic and practical significance of convening within the legislature to highlight the sea as a national wealth. She noted that maritime transport is not merely a technical sector but an economic lever intertwined with trade, tourism, employment, and national sovereignty, describing it as untapped “blue gold.”
Maalouf stressed the workshop’s goal of activating the sector by updating legislation, strengthening institutional infrastructure, and aligning Lebanese laws with international standards. She hoped the discussions would yield practical steps to place maritime transport on the national priority list. The event included ministerial and parliamentary addresses on the role of academic institutions in enhancing legislation and oversight.
Two main sessions followed: the first focused on maritime legislation, international alignment, and developing a modern framework; the second addressed building legislative capacities and effective mechanisms to support the parliament’s supervisory role, concluding with an open discussion among attendees.
