Dr. Nasser Seif Al-Mansouri, Director General of the National Transport Authority (NTA) stressed that the territorial waters of the state of UAE are free from any pollutants, and there are controls and laws to regulate the process of passing through or disembark ports, including maritime transport law, issued in the year 1981, and its articles concerning violations of maritime transport, with graduating penalties, which may go up to arrest of the ship in the case of environmental violations or the safety of body of the ship, passengers or crew, confirming that the United Arab Emirates ranks fifth in the world, and the first  at the Arab, regional and Asian levels in the provision of logistics services.

This came on the margin of event of the Summit of Environmental Shipping, which is hosted by Abu Dhabi over three days, and is concerned with protecting the marine environment from pollution, under the auspices of Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Works and Chairman of the Board of the National Transport Authority, with the participation of 132 experts and specialists in maritime navigation.

In his opening speech, Al Mansouri tackled the government agenda of the state and the strategy of the National Transport Authority and its environmental and national strategic objectives, as well as the important role played by the State to preserve the marine environment. He also touched on the historical legacy left by the late, God willing, Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan with regard to protection of the environment.

According to his statement to the "Gulf" magazine on the sidelines of the Summit, he confirmed that the conference is considered an initiative among those taken by the NTA to disseminate environmental awareness and education, particularly with regard to maritime transport, and that the desired outcome of the Summit is to engage stakeholders in a cooperative approach, since environmental issues still represent high priority to maritime community, and since the United Arab Emirates is one of the leading countries in environmental initiatives, they seek to extend this leadership to the marine arena through this summit.

He added that maritime transport accounts for 90 percent of world trade, however, it is one of the least environmental pollutants between other means of transportation.

Al Mansouri pointed to the worldwide reputation possessed by the United Arab Emirates, in particular, in the field of ports, taking into account the port of Jebel Ali who is ranked seventh at the level of the world, in addition to other ports in the State which are known for excellence all over the world, and that they are keen to protect and preserve the territorial waters against any negative effects that may be caused by maritime transport.

He added that the Authority prepared for the future through the dissemination of cultural awareness among young national cadres and university students, as well as by advising students to choose the specialty of maritime transport and other related sections at university stages and technical colleges.

He explained that the summit discussed 19 scientific and research papers dealing with environment and its reflections on the environmental laws, as well as the educational part for seafarers, environmental shipping and harms which might happen during transport or discharge.